GIA Signatories and near-Signatories, that are expected to be beneficiaries of any operational agreement to prepare for, and respond to, a brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) incursion have agreed to develop an operational agreement under GIA, with a mid-2017 target date for completion. 

An interim BMSB Council has been set up to lead the development of the operational agreement, with Alan Pollard (CEO, Pipfruit NZ) elected as the initial Chair. The council currently includes representatives from MPI, the GIA Secretariat, and the following primary industry sector groups – citrus, kiwifruit, pipfruit, tomatoes, vegetable, avocados, Horticulture NZ, plant producers, flower growers, forestry owners, winegrowers, process vegetables and summerfruit.

Membership of the Council is expected to grow, as a more definitive position is attained of sectors thought to be potentially impacted by a BMSB incursion. If you represent a sector that may be covered by the operational agreement and have yet to engage with the process, please contact the Secretariat Manager, Steve Rich, to discuss next steps.

BMSB readiness exercise
Horticulture New Zealand’s Biosecurity and Trade Policy Manager, Richard Palmer, will run a workshop to improve industry understanding of the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) on Thursday 30 March, at the end of the Horticulture Industry Forum in Wellington. The Secretariat, the Ministry for Primary Industries and other industry stakeholders have been invited to the workshop which includes a simulation; the basis for a response; and how the industry can support a response.