09 December 2025
Who does this notice affect?
Importers and brokers of CBIS eligible:
- Mushroom spawn and cultures for propagation (0602.90.00)
- Processed nuts (0801.21, 0801.22, 0801.31, 0801.32, 0802, 0811.90, 0812.90, 0813.50, 20.07.99 and 20.08.19)
What has changed?
The department is incorporating 2 new plant pathways onto the Compliance-Based Intervention Scheme (CBIS). The pathways and intervention points are as follows:
- Mushroom spawn and cultures for propagation – Inspection intervention
- Processed nuts – Documentation intervention
These changes are scheduled to take effect on 10 December 2025.
The CBIS program rewards importers who demonstrate consistent compliance with Australia’s biosecurity requirements with a risk-based intervention approach (applied at the line level). Compliant entities (importers/ suppliers) are able to benefit from smoother clearance processes at the border and reduced regulatory costs.
To qualify for risk-based intervention under the CBIS, importers will need to:
- import an eligible product under an appropriate tariff code
- lodge the entry in line mode
- meet the import conditions for their goods
- meet the requirements and demonstrate repeated compliance for their goods.
To support these changes, we have developed new profile questions for processed nuts and mushroom spawn and cultures as follows:
Processed nuts
Biosecurity question text: are the goods commercially prepared and packaged, permitted nut species that have been highly processed (roasted, toasted, frozen, boiled, or blanched) for human consumption?
Tariff codes in scope: 0801.21, 0801.22, 0801.31, 0801.32, 0802, 0811.90, 0812.90, 0813.50, 20.07.99 and 20.08.19.
Importers with high document failure (DF) rates greater than 20% will be ineligible for CBIS benefits until their compliance improves and remains below this threshold. This is aimed to reduce clearance delays, duplicated assessments, and double handling of documentation and ensure that only importers who demonstrate consistent compliance receive reduced intervention under CBIS.
Mushroom spawn and cultures
Biosecurity question text: are the goods permitted species of mushroom spawn or cultures intended for propagation purposes?
Tariff codes in scope: 0602.90.00
What do I need to do?
The change will require importers and brokers to accurately answer the profile question, provide a relevant tariff code, and lodge complete and accurate documents in COLS in order to qualify for CBIS and be offered the benefits that the program has to offer.
Lodging incomplete documents may result in the importer receiving a document failure result, which may impact the CBIS compliance counter. It may also result in clearance delays and additional fees where the department is required to re-assess information or gather further information to complete the assessment. We would strongly encourage you to submit a complete document package and clearly label your products for this reason.
Note: Goods that qualify for CBIS may still be required to meet other biosecurity and imported food requirements. All imported food must meet the food safety requirements under the Imported Food Control Act 1992 monitored through the Imported Food Inspection Scheme. Check the imported food requirements for your food type.
Further information
Subscribe to the relevant BICON case or visit the CBIS webpage.
If you have any enquiries relating to these changes, please contact the CBIS program CBIS@aff.gov.au or telephone 1800 900 090.