Industry calls for inclusion in biosecurity levy

Source: Weekly Times / Madeline Stuchbery

May 10, 2023

Imported cut flowers and foliage should be included in the new federal biosecurity levy, announced in Tuesday’s budget.

That’s the call from the industry’s peak body, Flower Industry Australia, which claims the flower industry deals with “significant biosecurity risks” from imported blooms every year.

It comes after a recent call to review the decision to exclude cut flowers and foliage from country-of-origin labelling left the industry feeling ignored by government.

FIA chief executive Anna Jabour said flower importers did not pay into a specific biosecurity levy in Australia, “despite the fact that cut flowers and foliage are the highest risk pest pathway”.

“A biosecurity levy for cut flower and foliage imports would ensure that importers contribute to the cost of protecting the Australian agricultural industry and environment,” Ms Jabour said.

The peak body for flower growers recently initiated its own origin labelling system, at a cost to growers.

Green and gold rubber bands touting an ‘Australian Grown’ label are available for flower growers via Flower Industry Australia.

Read more at this link.