Media Release: Pohlmans named 2021 Farm Biosecurity Producer of the Year

Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA) congratulates Pohlmans Nursery on being named the Australian Biosecurity Award 2021 Farm Biosecurity Producer of the Year at the 2021 National Biosecurity Forum on Wednesday 10 November 2021.

Pohlmans Nursery have been recognised as the Australian Biosecurity Award 2021 Farm Biosecurity Producer of the Year at the 2021 National Biosecurity Forum for their contribution to the development, communication and implementation of BioSecure HACCP, a national industry on-farm plant protection and biosecurity program developed by GIA and Hort Innovation Australia.

“We are very proud to have won this award as it recognises over ten years of work on assisting in the development of BioSecure HACCP with GIA,” says Andy O’Brien, Pohlmans’ Innovation & Special Projects Manager.

According to Mr O’Brien, by adopting the BioSecure HACCP risk management approach, Pohlmans have reduced pesticide usage and stock losses, whilst maintaining a system that supports the safe trade of plants, and other productivity gains across the nursery.

“Over the last three to four years, not only have we reduced our pesticide use, but we have reintroduced biodiversity back into our production nursery. We now use a variety of beneficial insects across our entire site as part of our integrated pest management (IPM) program,” says Mr O’Brien.
 

Pohlmans Nursery has a complex and highly intensive production system covering more than 13 hectares across five separate divisions on an expansive site west of Brisbane, Queensland. The production nursery produces millions of flower and vegetable seedlings, herbs, potted colour, indoor foliage, trees and shrubs each year for retailers across eastern Australia.

“Winning this award will hopefully allow us to increase our market access further interstate,” Mr O’Brien adds. As a BioSecure HACCP Certified production nursery, Pohlmans can implement specific Entry Condition Compliance Procedures (ECCP’s) for pests of quarantine concern and self-certify consignments for interstate trade through the program’s Audit Management System (AMS), thus facilitating freer trade across state borders.

Pohlmans Nursery was nominated for the Australian Biosecurity Award 2021 Farm Biosecurity Producer of the Year by John McDonald, GIA’s National Biosecurity Manager.

“Pohlmans are a very deserving winner of this award,” says Mr McDonald, “They have been a significant partner in the development of the on-site plant protection and biosecurity program, BioSecure HACCP, allowing GIA to test procedures, systems and technology in an operating production nursery, as well as being an industry champion around the importance of rigorous plant protection and biosecurity programs across production systems and along supply chains”

“The Pohlmans team have opened their doors to GIA and national plant biosecurity committees to showcase plant protection and biosecurity systems and policy,” Mr McDonald continues, “Pohlmans advocates biosecurity best practice to the industry by working with GIA, other production nurseries and local grower groups. Their team has participated in articles, blogs, video and events to encourage production nurseries to implement robust on-farm plant protection and biosecurity systems.”

“Pohlmans Nursery is driving change across nursery production by providing industry with clear financial benefits, which will promote a more sustainable horticulture sector and a stronger biosecurity system in Australia,” concludes Mr McDonald.