New Zealand
December 13, 2013

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has issued a minor amendment to the import health standard (IHS) 155.02.05 Importation of Seed for Sowing under section 24A of the Biosecurity Act (1993). The IHS, dated 12 December 2013, replaces the earlier version of the standard dated 8 August 2013.

The revised IHS is available to view on the following website:
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/ihs/155-02-05.pdf.  

Note: please refresh your browser to ensure you are viewing the most recent version of the IHS.

The following changes have been made to the import health standard:

1. A new section (Part A, section 6, Seed for sowing imported as laboratory specimens) has been added to the IHS to allow seed for sowing of species listed in the Plants Biosecurity Index as “see 155.02.05 under .......” that does not meet the requirements of the specific schedule within this Import Health Standard to be imported. A permit to import is required for any such seed, which will direct the material to an appropriate transitional or containment facility. The purpose of this amendment is to allow seeds to be imported into laboratory facilities for research purposes (for example small quantities of seed produced at overseas research institutions) when the requirements of the IHS cannot be met. Any seed imported under this section of the IHS will not be eligible for biosecurity clearance.
    
2. The Arabidopsis thaliana schedule was amended to remove the requirement for a phytosanitary certificate for this species, and Part A, section 2b was amended to clarify that a phytosanitary certificate is not required if the schedule of special conditions specifically states that no phytosanitary certificate is required.
    
3. Tomato black ring virus (TBRV, now present in New Zealand and classified as non-regulated) was removed from pest lists and from individual schedules in the IHS where TBRV was listed as requiring specific phytosanitary measures.

Questions related to this IHS should be directed to:

Plant Imports Team
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
plantimports@mpi.govt.nz
 

Website: http://www.maf.govt.nz

Published: December 13, 2013