It says, growers and interested stakeholders are being asked to review biosecurity training units provided by Agrifood Skills Australia and to provide feedback before the 21 September 2015 deadline.

The biosecurity units of competency outline the skills and knowledge a person must be able to demonstrate at work to meet relevant functional/ legislative/ regulatory/ licensing and employability requirements. To ensure that these standards meet industry’s needs, they need to be endorsed by industry, itself.

Agrifood Skills Australia is keen to receive feedback on the following units:

• Work effectively in an emergency disease or plant pest response (AHCBER301);
• Carry out emergency disease or plant pest control procedures at infected premises (AHCBER303);
• Carry out movement and security procedures (AHCBER304);
• Plan and supervise control activities on infected premises (AHCBER401);
• Carry out field surveillance for a specific emergency disease or plant pest (AHCBER402);
• Manage active operational emergency disease or plant pest sites (AHCBER501);
• Manage the implementation of an emergency disease or plant pest control program (AHCBERO502);
• Plan and oversee an emergency disease or plant pest control program (AHCBER601);
• Inspect and clean machinery for plant, animal and soil material (AHCBIO201);
• Follow site procedures for pest, weed and disease management (AHCBIO202);
• Identify and report unusual disease or plant pest signs (AHCBIO302);
• Apply and review biosecurity measures (AHCBIO305);
• Plan and implement a biosecurity program (AHCBIO403).

Growers and other stakeholders are asked to provide feedback via the Agrifood Skills Australia website.

Current biosecurity units of competency in the AHC10 Training Package are being transitioned to the National Skills Standards Council Standards for Training Packages. Growcom says the Agrifood Skills Australia website has further information about the NSSC Standards.