Horsham opens biosecurity centre
Anew $4-million, nationally significant biosecurity centre in Horsham will provide greater security for Australia’s broadacre cropping and food-production industry.
The Post Entry Quarantine, PEQ, facility at Grains Innovation Park is designed to help the industry safely introduce new crop varieties from interstate and overseas while preventing the introduction of destructive plant pests and diseases.
Project leaders are confident the facility will ‘accelerate’ development of new and improved crop varieties for Australian farmers.
State Agriculture Minister Maryanne Thomas, who joined officials at an official opening last week, said the Horsham centre would be the premier grain quarantine facility in Australia.
She said it supported the Australian Grains Genebank – the national centre for preserving grain-crop genetic resources in Australia – to continue its vital role in shoring up food security
and the future success of grain production.
“Horsham is the heart of Australia’s food security when we think about the
importance of grains to our agricultural crops,” she said.
“This facility is making it possible for scientists and plant breeders to develop new crop varieties faster without compromising Australia’s strict quarantine requirements.”
The 400-square-metre glasshouse is fitted with LED lighting and a wi-fienabled irrigation system, allowing researchers to grow and evaluate more seeds faster while adhering to Australia’s strict biosecurity and emerging international quarantine requirements.
Seeds must pass through quarantine processes before being distributed to plant breeders and researchers.
The process will involve growing out the seed and carrying out a range of tests to ensure it is free from exotic pests and diseases.
Fully automated
The fully automated glasshouse can accommodate 3900 pots and two-anda-half growth cycles a year, expediting the quarantine process and helping to ensure improved crop varieties get to farmers faster.
Ms Thomas said the facility would enable world-class research, encourage more scientists to move to the region and uphold Australia’s national and international biosecurity and quarantine requirements. She said the project was part of the State Government’s agriculture strategy to enhance the commercialisation of research and ensure the agriculture sector was well placed to be stronger, more innovative and sustainable.
“Australia has some of the strongest biosecurity requirements in the world to protect our country from many exotic diseases that are out there,” she said.
“It’s so important we protect our produce and ensure it can continue to be sold overseas and our farmers can continue to export.”
Grains Research and Development Corporation managing director Anthony Williams said the Horsham facility would reduce quarantine wait time from two years to six months, providing better varieties faster to growers and consumers.
Australian Grains Genebank is a partnership between the State Government and Grains Research and Development Corporation, which each invested $2-million towards the PEQ centre.