Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) has received advice from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment on the release of edition 4 of 2020-21 BMSB season Newsletter
The following are extracts from the newsletters - please ensure your read the entire newsletter to obtain the full update
BMSB detections
As of 4 March 2021, the department has 171 BMSB detections for the 2020-21 BMSB Season. 27 of these have been live detections, 8 in air cargo and mail pathways, and 18 across sea cargo and vessel pathways, 1 unknown and 144 detections of dead BMSB in sea cargo and vessel pathways.
2020-21 BMSB season end dates
Now that we are in the home stretch to the end of the season, the department has had a few emails asking about these dates.
The measures apply to goods shipped from 1 September 2020 that arrive in Australian territory by 31 May 2021 (inclusive).
Break Bulk (including open top and flat rack)
We have received an increase in the number of consignments that have been shipped as break bulk (including open top, flat racks, shippers own containers, modified containers) arriving untreated. All break bulk is subject to mandatory offshore treatment prior to arrival into Australia.
Exceptional Circumstances
Under the seasonal measures, exemptions from mandatory BMSB treatment may be granted in certain cases e.g.:
- Goods are imported for the use of delivering emergency services where mandatory treatment will significantly impact the delivery of the service e.g., aircraft being imported during the bushfire season required for immediate deployment.
Importers are required to submit any exemption requests in writing to the Seasonal Pests Policy Team and receive approval prior to the goods being exported.
New, Unused and not Field Tested (NUFT) goods
The department is seeing a lot of consignments accompanied by invalid BMSB NUFT declarations resulting in goods being directed for export or treatment.
Common reasons for NUFT certification being non-compliant are:
- Providing a NUFT for tariff chapters that are not in-scope.
- Manufacture of goods must have occurred from 1 December 2020 onwards.
- The declaration must state a manufacture date, or range of manufacture dates rather than listing a month it was completed.
- The place of manufacture of the goods is required. Country of origin is not acceptable
Alignment of BMSB measures between New Zealand and Australia
The department has worked closely with the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on the 2020-21 measures to ensure both Australia and New Zealand's BMSB seasonal measures are consistent across the two countries (where possible).
The main areas of alignment are risk countries, treatments, and the approved treatment providers who can carry out BMSB treatment before targeted goods arrive in New Zealand or Australia.
Importers, exporters, and agents involved with importing goods into New Zealand and Australia must understand the requirements for each country to ensure compliance. There are some differences you should be aware of, especially around the commodity types targeted. Please refer to the webpage of the department of the country in which you intend to import your goods.
Enquiries relating to BMSB seasonal measures
If you have an enquiry relating to BMSB policy, then please visit our website (www.agriculture.gov.au/bmsb) in the first instance to see if an answer may be found there. If your concern is not addressed on our website, please contact the Seasonal Pest Policy team at spp@awe.gov.au