Seeds

General Procedures

Specific plants, plant products and other pest and disease host materials are prohibited entry into Victoria unless accompanied by a Plant Health Certificate (PHC) or Plant Health Assurance Certificate (PHAC) certifying compliance with relevant conditions of entry (see individual conditions).  Commodities, which are not prohibited and are hosts of a specified pest or disease may enter Victoria without certification in relation to that pest or disease if sourced from an area of another state or territory covered by an area freedom certificate.

Area Freedom

Unless prohibited any host material, agricultural equipment or used package may enter any part of Victoria without restriction if an Area Freedom Certificate certifying that the State or Territory, or any part of the State or Territory where the host material, agricultural equipment or used package was grown, packed, sourced or last used, is known to be free from a specified pest or disease.

Note:  Any notification or advice of an outbreak of a pest or disease is taken to be an amendment to the relevant Area Freedom Certificate.  In these cases, host material may no longer be accepted under area freedom.

Verification

An importer may be required to present host commodities and accompanying certification for verification by an inspector or a person accredited by the department to verify the material and certification.

Packaging

Packages of all fruit, vegetables or nuts must be clean to touch and free of extraneous visible matter and objectionable odour and in good repair.

Labelling

Packages containing any fruit, vegetable or nut must be legibly marked with the following:

1. the kind of fruit, vegetable or nut (name of commodity); and
2. in the case of prescribed fruit, vegetables or nuts*-
   1. the name and postcode of the city or town nearest to the locality where they were grown, or
   2. an approved code indicating the location of packing or production; and
3. in the case of a commodity certified under an accreditation (e.g. ICA Scheme), information as required by the specific Procedure.

*details of prescribed fruit, vegetables and nuts are provided in the Plant Biosecurity Regulations 2016.

Any plant of Lupinus species originating from an area covered by an Area Freedom Certificate declaring that the area from which the host material originated is known to be free from lupin anthracnose may enter Victoria without restriction, otherwise‐

the entry or importation into Victoria of any plant of Lupinus species is prohibited unless certified that the plants:

1. where consigned during the period September to November, be inspected within 20 days before export by an officer of the department responsible for agriculture in the State or Territory where the plants were grown and found free of any symptoms of lupin anthracnose, or.
2. enters Victoria in accordance with a permit issued by Agriculture Victoria. To apply for a permit visit the Plant biosecurity permit page.

Documentation requirement: PHC, PHAC or Plant Health Declaration or permit.

Any lupin grain, husks, hay, straw, fodder of Lupinus species originating from an area covered by an Area Freedom Certificate declaring that the area from which the host material originated is known to be free from lupin anthracnose, may enter Victoria without restriction, otherwise‐

the entry or importation into Victoria of any lupin grain, husks, hay, straw, fodder or any diagnostic samples of Lupinus species, is prohibited unless –

1. The material is marketed and sold for:
   1. in the case of whole or processed grain, is for human consumption; or
   2. in the case of grain, husks, hay, straw or fodder, is for processing or stock feed; or
2. enters Victoria in accordance with a permit issued by Agriculture Victoria. To apply for a permit visit the Plant biosecurity permit page.

Documentation requirement: Nil (for 1 above), or permit (for 2 above)

Any seed for sowing of Lupinus species originating from an area covered by an Area Freedom Certificate declaring that the area from which the host material originated is known to be free from lupin anthracnose, may enter Victoria without restriction, otherwise‐

the entry or importation into Victoria of any seed for sowing of Lupinus species is prohibited unless

1. certified that the seed was:
   1. grown from seed tested and found free of lupin anthracnose; and
   2. sown and harvested using equipment which has not been used on crops known to be infected with lupin anthracnose within the previous two years; and
   3. inspected after planting by a person approved by the department responsible for agriculture in the State or Territory where the crop is growing, once after full emergence of seedling and again when primary spikes have flowered, and no evidence of lupin anthracnose is detected; and
   4. sampled, where for every 25t of material in the consignment, 40 samples are taken, from which a 1.5kg sub-sample is obtained, tested and found free of lupin anthracnose; and
   5. treated with a fungicide registered for the control of lupin anthracnose, at a rate specified on the label; or
2. enters Victoria in accordance with a permit issued by Agriculture Victoria. To apply for a permit visit the Plant biosecurity permit page.

Documentation requirement: PHC, PHAC, Plant Health Declaration or permit.

Under S71 of the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994, “a person must not wilfully bring or cause to be brought into Victoria or transport within Victoria the seeds of a noxious weed or any other part of a noxious weed which is capable of growing whether or not for sale, without a permit from the Secretary.” The movement of noxious weed contaminated fodder, stock, grain, machinery, soil, gravel or stone is also prohibited.

Note: Seeds or other hosts may be tested prior to import into Victoria by an accredited seed testing laboratory for the presence of weed seed. A permit is required only if any weed seed is present in the consignment.

For further details contact the Department Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

Any host material originating from an area covered by an Area Freedom Certificate declaring area freedom from asparagus stem blight may enter Victoria without restriction, otherwise‐

the entry or importation into Victoria of any plant or plant product of the genus Asparagus (including ornamental asparagus) or soil is prohibited unless certified that;

1. in the case of asparagus spears, must undergo:
   1. packing line treatment, at a minimum concentration at least 50ppm available chlorine, at a rate of not less than 20L/min, where the pH is maintained between 6.5 to 7.0; and where spears remain wet for five minutes after treatment; or
   2. hydro cooling treatment after packing at a minimum concentration at least 50ppm available chlorine, at a rate of not less than 20L/min, where the pH is maintained between 6.5 to 7.0; and the spears remain wet for five minutes after treatment; or
   3. enters Victoria in accordance with a permit issued by Agriculture Victoria. To apply for a permit visit the Plant biosecurity permit page.
2. In the case of seeds, crowns, ferns and soil enters Victoria in accordance with a permit issued by Agriculture Victoria. To apply for a permit visit Plant biosecurity permit.

Documentation requirement: PHC, PHAC, Plant Health Declaration or Permit.