On Thursday 20 February , a Plant Health and Biosecurity Meeting was harbour at Kew Gardens . Those pay for let in growers , importers , NGOs and retailers , who throughout the day heard from HRH Prince of Wales , Lord Gardiner , Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity and Nicola Spence , UK Chief Plant Health Officer . The HTA attended the meeting as a lead penis of the Plant Health Alliance , with a farsighted interest in the promotion of strengthen biosecurity within the industry .
HRH Prince of Wales verbalise strongly of his love for farming , forestry and gardening . He spoke of the lively role that tree diagram play in our climate , and that nature needs to be put back at the centre of our thriftiness . Before 2010 , there were no environmental jeopardy in the World Economic Forum Global Risks Report , now the report card is eclipse by them .
Do n’t run a risk it … utterer throughout the day discussed the importance of biosecurity , with Nicola Spence highlight the increase in advertising at airports stating not to bring back flora from overseas and Adam Frost endorse the signification around this . Lord Gardiner stated that this year , the International Year of Plant Health , was an opportunity to stir sentience and strengthen biosecurity .
skill holds many of the answers to plant health challenge the UK faces , and the flora risk cash register contains over 1,000 disease and pathogens already . Getting better at espial and inspection is critical in a land with a passion for flora hunt . Lord Gardiner spoke of his support for a succeeding consultation on substantial restriction and quarantine for import trees .
There was a strong belief that Government and the entire horticulture industry need to work together on this issue , and how , with the increase of plants on the high - hazard host listing and rise in import restrictions , there has been no better time to work together and support each other through this vital issue .
Plant Healthy Certification SchemeAlistair Yeomans draft the Plant Healthy Certification Scheme to the audience , discuss how the system will first be place nurseries , before moving onto garden centres and then landscapers . credentials on this scheme means businesses meet the requirements of the Plant Health Management Standard .
Plant life is under menace from pestilence . For example , the 2019 IUCN European Red List of Trees indicated that 42 % of European trees are consider as having a high risk of quenching with the primary scourge being from encroaching species i.e. plant pests .
To forestall this threat , Defra ’s Plant Biosecurity Strategy for Great Britain ( 2014 ) proposed the development of certificate schemes to ameliorate biosecurity in the UK horticultural sector .
presently , two businesses ( Oakover Nurseries and Delamere Nurseries ) have fill in their audits , and eight more businesses are lined up to be part of the pioneer grouping .
The Plant Healthy Certification Scheme aim to make it gentle to identify business sector that supply plants that have been source and grown to in high spirits plant wellness and biosecurity standards .
This is with the design of significantly come down the peril of introduce / spreading destructive plant pests via plant supply chains .
It is hoped that the Certification Scheme grows to become the key voluntary measure for protect the gardening diligence , tame plant and lifelike habitats . As the initial nursery audit have now involve place , it is expected that the list of certified horticultural businesses will start to develop over the come months .
Getting involvedThe first footfall for any business committed to ensuring biosecurity conformation is to take the gratuitous Plant Healthy Assessment atwww.planthealthy.org.uk . This immediate and gentle assessment will give you a tailored report card that set out practical requirements and guidance for businesses to implement .
For those wanting to register their interest in take part in the Plant Healthy Certification Scheme , there are inside information on the Plant Healthy website for when the scheme launches in summer .
For more informationHorticultural Trades AssociationHorticulture House19 gamy StreetThealeReadingWest BerkshireRG7 5AHT : +44 ( 0)118 930 3132Fax : +44 ( 0)118 932 3453NGGV : +44 ( 0)118 930 2092www.the-hta.org.uk
