As our new Minister, Mr Fitzgibbon has emphasised his commitment to ensuring our industries are sustainable, successful and profitable and are well supported by a modern, service delivery organisation.

As DAFF continues to develop a more sustainable biosecurity system for Australia, the breadth of our work and how it supports our nation is increasingly apparent.

The changes to the way we manage Australia's biosecurity system continue to improve as we employ a science-based approach to managing risk, provide more cohesive services to our stakeholders and greater levels of assurance to our international trading partners.

As part of this journey, we have also changed our name and appearance. The title: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry replaces AQIS or the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.

This title better reflects the diversity of the work we do and our role in Australia's biosecurity – at the border, offshore and onshore – and unites all animal, plant, food and quarantine operations.

You will see these changes in many areas of our work – in our information products, on our web site, in signage and email and web addresses.

One of the most visible elements of our identity is at our international airports and cruise terminals where new information products bear the new DAFF brand and design. There's more information in one of the articles in this issue.

Other interesting stories this month include; successful outcomes for international cooperation on biosecurity issues affecting the movement of cargo in trade and the introduction of a seed library that provides scientific seed identification and diagnostic ability.

And in Border Finds we look at mealybugs, tortoises, and curry leaves.

Finally, I'd like to say how honoured I am to receive the Public Service Medal. The award acknowledges my contribution to the development and implementation of biosecurity, taxation and health system policies and projects.  However these achievements would not have been possible without the assistance of colleagues and stakeholders.  So I thank you for your support.

"It's a portfolio I've always had my eye on because it's so significant in my own local area and, of course, it's so important to the country.

"Part of ensuring a bright future for our farmers is to continue reforms to the biosecurity system that protects our human, animal and plant health status," Minister Fitzgibbon said.

"And it's not just about imports at the border and quarantine, but also about exports, certifications and onshore activities like maintaining animal and plant health on farms – all vital parts of the department's business."

Mr Fitzgibbon acknowledged the hard work already done by DAFF in moving to a more modern and sustainable biosecurity system that used science and intelligence to inform its decision making.

"Australia's biosecurity system is a big business – the work we do is immense," Minister Fitzgibbon said.

"I'm looking forward to talking to stakeholders in the business of exports and imports, as well as my state and territory colleagues about biosecurity issues."

First Assistant Secretary, Border Compliance Division, Tim Chapman said the ICCBA was a voluntary and non-binding arrangement that built on the agency-to-agency approach of the bilateral Australian Fumigation Accreditation Scheme (AFAS).

"The ICCBA is designed to increase cooperation, communication and capacity building among our international partners and ensure effective biosecurity management," Mr Chapman said.

The Quarantine Regulators Meeting (QRM) is an annual meeting of international quarantine agencies, discussing current and emerging challenges relating to risk management in cargo biosecurity.

"The QRM provides the opportunity for DAFF to work in partnership with its international counterpart's community to address offshore risks, safeguarding Australia's favourable biosecurity status.

 "DAFF has a risk-based approach to managing biosecurity. Through reform to Australia's biosecurity system, we have improved our data collection for treated commodities.

"This will increasingly allow us to reduce our intervention with compliant treatment providers and focus on those who present a higher biosecurity risk."

The ICCBA is now open for adoption by interested agencies.

The 2013 QRM, which was co-hosted by DAFF and the Philippines' Bureau of Plant Industry, was attended by 43 delegates from 19 countries who explored the theme: 'Modernising border management to improve biosecurity'.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is continuing to work in partnership with the international community to strengthen Australia's biosecurity system.

Crucial information about declaring risk items such as plant and animal products will be displayed on posters, luggage carousel stands, screens, and banners reminding travellers of their biosecurity obligations.

First Assistant Secretary, Border Compliance Division, Tim Chapman said maintaining Australia's biosecurity integrity was a big job that relied on industry and the community to work in partnership with DAFF.

"We want to ensure that all travellers coming to Australia understand what is required of them," Mr Chapman said.

"The new signage makes information accessible to more people, helping them to play their part in safeguarding Australia's unique environment, human health and agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries."

The signage will also carry the new DAFF brand which was developed as part of the organisation's move to a single, overarching department.

Assistant Secretary, Communication Branch, Jenny Barbour said the new signage was part of the work being done to bring DAFF's many functions together.

"DAFF introduced its new identity in November 2011 to give people a better picture of the entire spectrum of our operations," Ms Barbour said.

"The ability for stakeholders, industry and the community to recognise DAFF as an agency of many functions is vital not only for successful business operations but to help the community partner with us to maintain Australia's robust biosecurity system."

Among other things, the AOs – about 400 of them have been appointed so far – are responsible for the inspection and biosecurity clearance of seeds that are imported to Australia, and exported to overseas markets.

In strengthening Australia's plant biosecurity resources, the library provides scientific seed identification and diagnostic information through high quality images.  The library also lets users build a seed image library tailored to their own knowledge and skill.

Assistant Secretary, Plant Export Operation, Kylie Calhoun said the seed library contained high resolution diagnostic images of 239 species of weed, grain and crop seeds along with individual seed details and species pages.

"The library uses the image stacking technique and consists of low to high levels of magnification of different views of the seeds," Ms Calhoun said.

"It also has features that can aid in seed identification and a scale to show relative seed sizes.

"The library provides full classification, different views of seed images and a brief description of seed features."

Users can search for seeds using criteria built into the library including shape, size, colour and texture. They can also create their own comparative image tables where each seed has been characterised according to sculpture, shape, length and colour characters.

Ms Calhoun said the library enabled users to compare images and information for as many species as they liked.

'It combines classification, characters and images to cater for various learners and users making it a suitable educational tool," Ms Calhoun said.

The library will also be a useful tool for anyone with an interest in grain and weed seeds including biosecurity and biodiversity scientists and diagnosticians in state and territory departments.

Importers, exporters, farmers, producers and the public will also be able to use the seed library to assist with identification of seeds.

The seed library is free to all users and is accessible through the PaDIL website.

Although the items aren't used until constructed in Australia, they can still harbour exotic pests and diseases that can threaten the integrity of Australia's biosecurity.

And while DAFF is largely responsible for our nation's biosecurity system, industry also has a significant role to play in safeguarding Australia's unique environment and agricultural industries.

First Assistant Secretary, Border Compliance Division, Tim Chapman said that DAFF used evidence such as data and import information to identify the key things for which importers of specialised equipment need to look.

"We have developed guidance material to assist resources and energy sector participants to keep their imported equipment clean and biosecurity risks away from Australia," Mr Chapman said.

Mr Chapman said the guidance material, which includes a web site, a Biosecurity Management Plan framework, and inspection checklists, would help managers of major resource projects to deal with biosecurity risks along the entire supply chain - from construction overseas to installation of the equipment in Australia.

"This means that companies following our guidelines will potentially have less intervention from DAFF," Mr Chapman said.  "The cleaning of contaminated equipment can add a significant delay to the importation of equipment and incur additional costs."

The DAFF Guide to Major Resource and Energy Industry website provides a consolidated source of information that has been successfully trialled by resources sector industry project partners.

For more information go to the website.

The increasing incomes of an expanding Asian middle class will provide unprecedented opportunities for Australia's food industry. If Australian businesses are to succeed in a globally competitive market and capture these opportunities, they must understand the needs of new customers and ensure their products are right for the targeted market.

If we are to share in the opportunities offered by the Asian century, we must capitalise on our world–leading research capacity.

The Asian Food Markets Research Grants program will be launched later in the year. Further information will be available at that time. You can also find a fact sheet on the program on the National Food Plan website.

Deputy Secretary of DAFF, Rona Mellor, has been awarded a Public Service Medal in the Queen's birthday honours list for outstanding public service in the development and implementation of biosecurity, taxation and health system policies and projects.

Ms Mellor joined DAFF at a crucial stage of our journey to a more modern and sophisticated organisation in 2010.

This new approach has focused on a move from 'quarantine at the border' to the biosecurity continuum – all aspects of the import and export journey – onshore, offshore and at the border.

Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Andrew Metcalfe said the award recognised the key role Ms Mellor played in leading biosecurity policy and service reforms during the past several years, as well as making a wider contribution to the portfolio.

Vigilance by several officers from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) in Cairns has stopped a damaging exotic mealybug from threatening Queensland's crops.

During an inspection of a liquefied gas carrier ship, the officers spied a small patch of white wax at the base of some of the leaves of a potted plant on the ship.

The white wax is a strong indicator of mealybug infestation and, on inspection of the plant, two species of mealybug were identified.  The first species, Planococcus minor is a common pest that is widespread in Australia.  However, the other species – Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi is an exotic pest not found in mainland Australia, and therefore of biosecurity concern.

DAFF Cairns-based entomologist Michael Gorton said that Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi, which has been found in several islands in Torres Strait, was an invasive mealybug with a diverse host range including paw paw, pineapple, ginger, custard apples, banana, coffee, corn, pepper, tomatoes and grapes.

"As many of these crops are grown in Queensland, this find is important," Mr Gorton said.

A slow moving but fast travelling pet was intercepted at Melbourne airport when a passenger attempted to bring a tortoise into Australia from Egypt.

Upon arrival at the airport, the passenger told a DAFF officer their child's pet tortoise was in their cabin luggage. The passenger was unaware that importing tortoises is prohibited and surrendered the reptile to DAFF.

The tortoise was identified as an Egyptian tortoise and unfortunately had to be euthanised as imported reptiles can pose a biosecurity risk.

Curry leaves found in a passenger's luggage at Melbourne Airport could have brought more than spice to the table.

The items were sent to be inspected by DAFF entomologists who found eggs and nymphs of the exotic Asian citrus psyllid attached to the leaves and shoots.

Asian citrus psyllid can pass on a pathogen that causes huanglongbing disease – a disease that is fatal for citrus plants and poses a significant threat to Australia's citrus industry.

Accompanying Asian citrus psyllid on the curry leaves were pupae of an exotic whitefly pest which also posed a high biosecurity risk.

The find is a good example of Australia's biosecurity system at work, reducing the risk of pests and diseases to our plant health and citrus industry.