Proof of concept trial of new arrangements for imported cargo – additional pilots and key insights
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is working directly with various import businesses to test whether their systems and supply chain controls could be leveraged to effectively and consistently manage biosecurity risk.
Following an open expression of interest process, the companies chosen to participate in pilots under this proof-of-concept trial were:
- KMART Australia Pty Ltd
- FTA Food Solutions Pty Ltd
- Becton Dickinson Australia
- Stora Enso Australia Pty Ltd (Wood Products)
- John Deere Pty Ltd
- Ball Australia Pty Ltd
- Amazon Commercial Services Pty Ltd
The trial is informing the establishment of a trust-based biosecurity risk management scheme for importers, or `green lane’ style arrangements that will:
- reduce regulatory intervention and costs for highly compliant importers who already invest heavily in commercial quality assurance arrangements;
- allow for biosecurity risks to be identified and mitigated early in supply chain, before goods are shipped to Australia;
- lessen border congestion, providing downstream benefits for other importers and the wider community, helping to drive business growth and job creation;
- enable departmental resources to be redirected to areas of greater risk.
This initiative is delivering on the Commonwealth Biosecurity Strategy 2030 by partnering with industry to inform border operations and strengthen our biosecurity system.
Trial Process
Each pilot was co-designed with the companies based on detailed mapping of their systems, data and supply chain assurance mechanisms against biosecurity controls and risk trigger points. This activity captured the people, regulations, systems, and processes involved from product selection to export and logistics on arrival in Australia, including for both commodity and non-commodity risks. Other government and industry accreditations held by each importer were also considered, as well as non-biosecurity related regulatory controls or industry standards they were required to meet. The pilots were being run in parallel to current biosecurity arrangements.
Key insights
Observations to date include:
- Pilot participants invest considerable time and money to ensure biosecurity and imported food requirements are met to avoid delays at the border and to satisfy their own customers who rely on the protection biosecurity provides.
- The current transactional biosecurity management model does not always recognise this effort, or the importer’s past compliance, with many company imports being treated as if they are the very first to arrive every time.
- Business assurance controls are often well established and documented or fully systematised, and most pilot participants were able to demonstrate that they could be used to manage biosecurity risk.
- The trial model is scalable and agile, and can be applied to different business models, supply chains and cargo pathways.
- Potential exists for the department to directly source industry supply chain data, saving importers time and money from having to prepare and provide information to the department.
- Importers are choosing to make further changes to embed and further enhance biosecurity management within their business and improve end-to-end resilience.
These insights, and feedback from importers that applied but were not selected for a pilot, are informing the design of new green lane arrangements.
Latest news
Despite some scheduling slippages due to business disruptions from COVID-19 and company priorities, five of the seven trial pilots have been completed, with a further two in their final evaluation stages. The last remaining pilot is expected to be finalised in the last quarter of 2022.
Work to design and operationalise the new arrangements is continuing with successful pilot participants expected to transition to a green lane from October 2022.
Broader roll out of the program is expected to commence late 2022. Information on the application and assessment process will be published on the department’s website beforehand.
The application process will involve completion of a self-assessment tool, which will help interested businesses understand what is required to participate in the green lane.
Businesses meeting the eligibility criteria will then be prioritised to undertake in-depth supply chain discovery, assessment and testing steps to determine their suitability for the program.
The department will continue to consult with industry as this occurs, noting the new arrangements will not suit all businesses as it requires the importer to have sufficient visibility and control over their supply chains.
Further information
For further information on the Trial and new arrangements, email the Biosecurity Operations Industry Partnerships and Engagement team at industrypartnerships@agriculture.gov.au.