In Australia, the government has released a proposal outlining how it plans to control fruit fly, the pest that is considered a major threat to the country's A$6.9bn horticultural industry.
The proposal, called the National Fruit Fly Strategy, had already received backing from state, territory and federal governments at the Primary Industries Ministerial Council earlier in the month.
'The Rudd government recognises the significant damage caused to productive farming businesses by fruit fly and other pests,' said minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry Tony Burke. 'This draft strategy would see us focus our efforts to better manage fruit fly in a coordinated effort across Australia.'
Additionally, the government announced that it would make an initial A$1m available to help farmers protect their crops from fruit fly.
The move is part of the government's election pledge of providing A$5.4m to develop and implement a fruit fly strategy, boost pest identification efforts and increase capacity for on-farm biosecurity planning.
Funding will go towards data collection and analysis to develop a management tool kit, a national diagnostic standard and pest data sheets.
