Approved sources of tissue cultures free of media

What is a tissue culture free of media approved source?

An offshore facility approved by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment to export tissue cultures free of media to Australia. Facilities not listed as an approved source cannot export tissue cultures free of media to Australia.

What is the approval process?

To be approved, a facility must supply details of their facility and operational procedures to the department. The department conducts a desk audit taking into account how the tissue cultures are propagated, packaged and screened for diseases prior to export as well as other aspects including, the security and sanitation of the facility. In addition, the overseas National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) must inspect the facility to provide the department with an assurance that the facility is sanitary, well maintained and producing high health tissue cultured plants. In some cases, verification visits may be required prior to approval.

Please note that the department undertakes assessment of facilities on a case-by-case basis. For this reason assessment times vary and additional information may be required before the assessment can be finalised. Assessments need to be balanced against other higher work priorities, in particular responding to emerging biosecurity risk.

If you would like to become an approved source of tissue cultures free of media please contact Plant Import Operations 1800 900 090 or email.

How long is the facility approved for?

Approved facilities will be reviewed by the department every two years to ensure that the ownership and operational procedures remain unchanged, and that the company wishes to retain their approval to export tissue cultures free of media to Australia.

If you would like to be removed from the tissue culture free of media approved source list please contact Plant Import Operations 1800 900 090 or email.

All tissue cultures will continue to be monitored and inspected at the Australian border. The department reserves the right to revoke or suspend the approval status of any facility that fails to meet Australia's import requirements. Reinstatement of the facility is subject to an investigation to identify cause/s of non-compliance and an application of corrective action/s and a report of this is provided, by the relevant NPPO, to the department for consideration. An audit visit may be required prior to reinstatement.

Summary of import conditions for tissue cultures free of media:

• The facility producing the tissue cultures must be a department approved source.
• The tissue cultures must be free from any bacterial or fungal infection, live insects and any other extraneous contamination of biosecurity concern.
• Tissue cultures must be aseptically transferred from growth media to sterile containers/tissue culture bags under supervision.
• The tissue cultures must be contained in sealed, sterile containers/tissue culture bags that prevent the passage of organisms and contamination into and out of the containers.
• The tissue culture containers/bags must be visually clear in construction so as to allow for the on arrival inspection by the Biosecurity Officer.
• The consignment must be accompanied by a Phytosanitary certificate containing the following declaration:
  “Prior to the removal of the plant tissue from media, the tissue cultures were inspected and found to be free of contamination. The plant tissue was aseptically transferred under supervision to sterile containers which were then sealed and not subsequently re-opened”.

Note: Importers must hold a valid import permit and check specific import requirements for species they wish to import. The department also recommends that approved facilities regularly check Australian import requirements. Import conditions are publicly available on the Biosecurity Imports Conditions (BICON).

Department approved sources of tissue cultures free of media