Overview
Practices prevent infestation by preventing regulated and unregulated commodity from mixing.
- A common example is that consignments of a commodity that are to be exported must be packed or processed and stored separately from other consignments intended for different markets.
- Evaluating the efficacy of this measure requires identifying and managing points of risk through the production and supply chain where the regulated commodity may be exposed to unregulated commodity.
- Commercially used segregation practices may be considered when undertaking a pest risk assessment. Segregation practices can also be proposed as a phytosanitary measure.
- For assurance, the production and post-production system may be inspected by authorised personnel, with oversight by the NPPO or relevant authority of the exporting jurisdiction, to ensure compliance with any measure requirements. They may also be subject to audit by the relevant authority of the importing jurisdiction.
Evidence to support efficacy
The risk of the regulated commodity becoming infested through co-occurrence with unregulated commodity first needs to be assessed. Evidence is required to demonstrate that the risk of pests transferring from unregulated product to regulated product is being sufficiently managed through the segregation practices. Mapping the steps in the production and supply chain may help to identify and eliminate points of risk where the regulated commodity may be exposed to unregulated commodity.
Applying the measure
How it is used
Industry practices that result in segregation can be considered when undertaking pest risk assessment. Segregation requirements can also be applied as a phytosanitary measure.
Segregation measures are usually applied post-production to prevent mixing of regulated and unregulated commodities. Examples include requirements for spacing the commodity in storage to minimise overlap, or only allowing regulated commodity within a registered facility. Packing facilities may require cleaning between packing unregulated and regulated product. Segregation of regulated and unregulated product can also be applied during production.
Use with other measures
This measure is often combined with safeguarding and limit exposure time to pest measures to limit the risk of post-production infestation.
Similar measures
A segregation measure can function similarly to safeguarding, but the unregulated and regulated commodity are kept separate by distance and time, rather than through a physical barrier.
Assurance of correct implementation
For assurance, the production and/or post-production facilities may be inspected by authorised personnel to ensure compliance with any measure requirements, with oversight by the NPPO or relevant authority of the exporting jurisdiction. Auditable traceability systems may be required to demonstrate that the regulated commodity remains segregated from unregulated commodity. Relevant production or post-production practices may also be subject to audit by the relevant authority of the importing jurisdiction.