ViNA nurseries complete Plant Pass certification
One year after becoming a Plant Pass Partner, NZ Winegrowers is delighted to see that all four Viticultural Industry Nursery Association (ViNA) nurseries have completed Plant Pass certification or achieved it via equivalency.
We talked to Sophie Badland, NZ Winegrowers Biosecurity Manager, about the scheme.
NZ Winegrowers - Plant Pass Partner
NZ Winegrowers was one of the original Plant Pass GIA Operational Agreement signatories in 2021. It then updated its own high health Grafted Grapevine Standard (GGS) to offer equivalence with Plant Pass.
Now, as a full Plant Pass Partner, NZ Winegrowers promotes planting programmes among its 600 grower members that are underpinned by Plant Pass certified robust, biosecurity-safe practices.
Pictured: Ormond Nurseries
Why does NZ Winegrowers encourage its members to source plants from Plant Pass certified producers?
“We all understand the importance of healthy planting material for vineyards and wineries. The GGS was introduced in 2006 and has worked really well to minimise the risk of pests and disease, particularly grapevine leafroll associated virus 3, associated with vine movement from nurseries into vineyards.
“However, in addition to vines, our members are also purchasing other plants for vineyard surrounds – things like shelterbelts, native plantings in headlands, or biodiversity plantings. And some vineyards and wineries are also venues for weddings and events like that, and have different sorts of amenity type plantings around. So we encourage members to make informed decisions about sourcing those plants from trusted suppliers who undertake rigorous biosecurity risk management.
“Purchasing plants from Plant Pass certified nurseries minimises the risk of accompanying pests and diseases being transferred through the nursery pathway and better protects the wine industry.”
Why was it important for NZ Winegrowers to develop Plant Pass equivalency?
“If a nursery is also producing other plants, it's a bit of a balancing act of what’s important for our members but also not making it too difficult for the nurseries by making them undertake two (or more) separate audits. So we built an optional additional section into the GGS to reflect those additional Plant Pass requirements around biosecurity, which can be audited at the same time.”
Plant Pass is refreshing its checklist. What does that mean for GGS equivalency?
“The refresh of the Plant Pass Checklist is all sounding really positive. I attended the first workshop and we’re looking closely at the changes. We'll take a bit of time to realign the Plant Pass refresh with the GGS – I think there’s enough flexibility within both standards to make equivalency work well. We’re also taking the opportunity to look at some GGS changes that are not directly related to Plant Pass, and getting all those changes through all at once.”
How does Plant Pass help NZ Winegrowers prepare for future threats?
“I think Plant Pass is a really good framework for additional guidance to tackle future threats. For example, in the GIA Xylella Action Group, we’re looking at the Plant Pass Core Standard against international recommendations to see how we can develop Plant Pass guidelines for nurseries growing Xylella host plants.
“Obviously for the wine industry those measures are going to be very applicable to the GGS as well. So I think the vine producing nurseries will all be interested in putting that guidance into action once it’s available.”
Viticultural Industry Nursery Association nurseries
Ormond Nurseries, Marlborough, Plant Pass certified, PPN:120
Riversun Nursery, Gisborne, Plant Pass certified, PPN:101
Stanmore Farm, Wellington, Plant Pass certified, PPN:178
Vine Nursery New Zealand, Hawke's Bay, Plant Pass certified, PPN:202
