Plant health and biosecurity were the key topic of the day at the HTA Healthy Plants , Healthy Business conference , in association with APHA , which took place at Horticulture House in Oxfordshire on 13 January 2025 .
The sell - out outcome , which appeal gamy visibility speakers and delegates from across the industry pick up from Lord Gardiner of Kimble , Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity , who rig the setting for the day . He said that we should be proud that we are historically a nation of plant hunting watch , and it is significant that we now do all we can to protect the UK ’s biosecurity . He flagged the fact that next class is International Year of Plant Health which will help to highlight the importance of plant health to the public and wider industry . ‘ The Modern Plant Health Standard is a great way to help improve the health of industrial plant within the industry . If we get the issue of biosecurity incorrect , the consequence will be devastating ’ , he annotate .
Professor Nicola Spence , Defra Chief Plant Health Officer , salute a plant wellness update , outline the way in which raw pests and diseases are add together to the UK Plant Health Risk Register . She highlight the range of a function of pests and disease that are pose the big threat including Xylella . Acknowledging that the evolution of the Plant Health Management Standard is a fantastic accomplishment she verbalize about how they are looking at biosecurity across the whole arrangement ; not just plant but Natalie Wood products , machinery , vehicle , direct sales and works of prowess .
Derek Grove , APHA Plant and Bee health EU issue coach then follow on discussing the impact and moderation of Brexit on the trade of plant and biosecurity . Derek gave an overview of the current planning of biosecurity within trade at pre - border , the EU import regulations , at the border , and post border . He also shroud what to expect on mean solar day one of a ‘ no deal ’ scenario for plants presently under the EU Plant Passporting scheme , those not under the Plant Passporting strategy , and the change that will pass off regarding border check mark .
HTA Horticulture Manager Alistair Yeomans spoke about the Plant Health Assurance Scheme , and the launch of the Plant Healthy website . The new Plant Healthy site provides a ego - appraisal tool for horticulture business and organisations to meliorate the biosecurity of source systems and advance plant health management practises . The detached tool is useable at : www.planthealthy.org.uk . The tool is found on the recently write Plant Health Management Standard ( PHMS ) – an initiative that Grown in Britain and HTA have been working severely to advance , along with many other organisations . The standard provides a set of requirements for businesses to fulfil , with a view to protecting the horticultural supply chemical chain and the wider countryside from detrimental pest and diseases . Although initially developed for the UK marketplace , the criterion is set out in a manner that enables it to be adopted internationally .
Currently the HTA is play with the Plant Health Biosecurity Steering Committee , chairman by Sir Nicholas Bacon , with a view to set up governance structures and appoint certification physical structure , that will independently scrutinize stage business . When the scheme is ready , and once successfully audited , a business will receive an assurance certificate enabling them to demonstrate that robust plant health management practises are inherent to their operations .
Rebekah Robinson from the Royal Horticultural Society ( RHS ) provided insight into their own works healthy policy and the work that they are doing to promote plant life wellness to their fellow member , visitor to their gardens and shower at their shows .
The good afternoon academic term bestow diligence perspectives from Jonathan Whittemore from Johnsons of Whixley , Richard McKenna from Provender Nurseries , Andy Bunker from Alton Garden Centre and APL Chairman Rod Winrow from Garden House Design . The final academic term have consultant Celia Knight who spoke about the Plant Health Professional Register which acknowledge an individual ’s competencies on plant health and provide an invaluable resource for Chief Plant health officer on plant life health expertise nationwide .
In his concluding remarks HTA President Adam Taylor highlighted the extensive noesis and passion that has been share throughout the day and the importance of continuing to share this throughout the industry . In turn this will help to guarantee that biosecurity and industrial plant health last out at the forefront of industriousness developments for the hereafter .
