New Season for Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs for 2018-2019 - Update 2 (17/07/2018)

Further to our previous notification Preparation for 2018-2019 Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) Risk Season dated 25th June 2018. Please find below an Important update of the changes to the Act as advised by The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR). Please take special note of the additional eight (8) countries that have now been targeted as high risk countries along with the following updates and conditions.

New seasonal measures will apply for goods shipped on or between 1 September 2018 to 30 April 2019.

Risks
The Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is not found in Australia and needs to be kept out. It could severely impact our agricultural industries. Juveniles and adults feed on, and can severely damage, fruit and vegetable crops. Adult BMSB can also be a nuisance, entering vehicles, homes and factories for shelter over winter.
They can arrive in Australia on cargo and containers shipped between September and April. This coincides with late autumn and winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

2018-19 Season Measures
You must comply with seasonal measures for certain goods arriving from certain countries that are shipped between 1 September 2018 and 30 April 2019 inclusive.
These measures will include mandatory treatment and increased intervention before arrival into Australian territory.
All goods must still meet standard import conditions in BICON.
 
Draft Measures
The proposed seasonal measures apply to certain goods shipped as sea cargo from target risk countries.
DAWR will publish details of final seasonal measures soon. This will include applicable goods and countries, and specific treatment rates.
Draft measures include:

• heightened surveillance on all roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) and general cargo vessels with pre-arrival reporting through a questionnaire and daily checks for BMSB
• heightened surveillance to identify high risk vessels to be directed for inspection or treatment
• mandatory offshore treatment for target high risk goods
• increased onshore intervention for target risk goods
• export or destruction of target high risk goods requiring mandatory offshore treatment and arriving untreated, unless exceptional circumstances are granted

Now 10 Countries Involved

• USA
• Italy
• Germany
• France
• Russia
• Greece
• Hungary
• Romania
• Georgia
• Japan (heightened vessel surveillance only).

3 Categories of Cargo:
 
Target High Risk Goods

• break bulk, including vehicles, machinery, equipment and parts
• bricks, tiles, ceramics, steel, stone and cement
• goods likely to be stored in a manner that provides access for BMSB to overwinter.

Target Risk Goods

• chemicals, chemical products, salt, minerals, fertilisers
• plastics, wadding, tyres
• wood pulp, printed matter, straw, paper, cardboard.

Exempted Goods
Seasonal measures do not apply to goods not identified as ‘target high risk’ and ‘target risk’.

Treatment Options

• heat treatment
• methyl bromide fumigation
• sulfuryl fluoride fumigation.

• List of approved treatment providers
• All BMSB treatment providers in Italy and the United States must register with DAWR. DAWR will add treatment providers who meet their requirements to their approved list of offshore treatment providers

Please refer the DAWR Link Below for further details for this new season:
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/before/pests/brown-marmorated-stink-bugs/
 
Any further updates received from DAWR we will update you accordingly or alternatively for more information or clarification, please contact your local SOS representative for assistance.  

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