Development and implementation of regional pest & disease protocols throughout Grampians, Pyrenees and Bendigo regions of Greater Victoria
Abstract
Development and implementation of regional pest & disease protocols throughout Grampians, Pyrenees and Bendigo regions of Greater Victoria
Summary
This project was commissioned in 2002 by the Greater Victoria Wine Grape Industry Development Committee with the objective of increasing the biosecurity of viticulture in “Greater Victoria”. The main activities of the project were the development of region specific biosecurity protocols to reduce the risks of introduction of new pest and disease threats, and improvements to the signs marking the borders of phylloxera exclusion zones and phylloxera infested zones.
The biosecurity protocols were developed at interactive workshops in seven different wine regions of Greater Victoria. Not included was the north east region of Greater Victoria where regional protocols were already in place, and Geelong, since the Geelong Grapegrowers Association already had a funded biosecurity project underway.
A total of 13 workshops involved members from 18 regional wine grape associations together with many regionally based service providers to the wine industry. The biosecurity protocols were initially focussed on grape phylloxera, and refined and tested in hypothetical scenarios against other potential pest and disease threats. The protocols were most relevant to those pests and diseases that were specific to grapevines.
The protocols motivated actions by individuals, regional wine grape associations, and service providers, to implement appropriate procedures defined in the protocols. Many of the wine grape growers said they would erect signs at the entrance to their vineyards, and provide cleaning and disinfestations facilities for visitors to vineyards. Some of the wine grape associations undertook to develop information kits and communication plans to inform service providers and local Governments of quarantine issues. The Yarra Valley Association developed check lists for use by its members. The service providers that attended the workshops said they would develop or refine operating procedures to reduce the risks of transfer of pests or diseases during their business operations.
The Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, has identified the priorities for improving signs marking the current phylloxera infested zones, and has agreed to re-position 15 signs prior to vintage 2004. It has also installed signs to show the boundaries of the new Henty-West Wimmera Phylloxera Exclusion Zone (PEZ).
In September 2003, representatives of most of the regional associations were surveyed by telephone, to gain an early assessment of the impact of the project. This survey (six months following completion of the last workshop) is reported in Table 5 under Section 8 below – Workshop and project evaluation.