APHA plant health surveillance programme
Guidance for land managers and growers of trees, plants or crops about APHA鈥檚 plant health surveillance programme, why the surveys take place and what to expect from a survey inspection.鈥��
Every year the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) conducts 鈥榙etection鈥� surveys of sites across England and Wales as part of its plant health surveillance programme. APHA conducts these surveys on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). You must allow plant health inspectors to inspect your site if they ask to.听
Why the surveys take place听
APHA鈥檚 detection surveys contribute to evidence used by Defra to prove the UK is free from 鈥榪uarantine鈥� plant pests and diseases.鈥� They are organisms that are either not present in the UK, or are not widely present, and, by law, there must be measures in place to prevent their entry, establishment and spread. 听
The surveys help to:听
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facilitate UK trade in plants and produce with other countries by providing up-to-date evidence of country freedom from plant pests and diseases, and by establishing pest-free areas for pests known to be present in the UK
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protect UK industry, agriculture and the wider environment by detecting potential threats from new pests and diseases听
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Where the surveys take place听
The sites APHA surveys include:听
- arable farms鈥�
- garden centres and retail sites
- grain storage and distribution centres听听
- nurseries鈥�
- orchards鈥�
- parks and gardens open to the public
- potato fields听
- protected crops (vegetable crops grown under glass)
- soft fruit production sites听
- vineyards鈥��
- the wider environment 鈥� for example, roadside verges, railway sidings, canal-side areas or hedgerows
Every year, APHA randomly surveys a proportion of each type of site in each UK region.听It may survey residential gardens in certain circumstances, such as in response to a plant pest or disease outbreak.
What to expect during an inspection听
If your site is selected as part of a plant health survey, a local APHA inspector will contact you to arrange an inspection. This is to check for various quarantine organisms identified in Defra risk analyses as potential threats to the crops, as well as to other plants and trees. It usually involves a visual inspection and collection of samples. Your local inspector will tell you exactly what to expect.听听
If the inspector sends any samples for laboratory diagnosis, they鈥檒l tell you:听
- how long the process is likely to take听
- what the outcome is听听
- what to do if a quarantine pest or disease is confirmed听
A minimum level of intrusion will be put on those selected.
Requests for information听
To help identify and plan suitable survey sites, APHA may ask for information about the sale and supply of plants from import to final planting site or customer.听
Read APHA鈥檚 plant biosecurity privacy notice.听听
If a pest or disease is found on your site
If laboratory testing of a survey sample confirms the presence of a pest or disease on your site, APHA will carry out a 鈥榙elimiting鈥� survey to find out the extent of it.听听
APHA may also establish a 鈥榙emarcated area鈥� in consultation with Defra. This consists of an infested or infected zone and a buffer zone. APHA will take actions in these areas to manage or eradicate the pest or disease and prevent its spread. These actions will be set out in an incident action plan created by Defra.听听
Surveillance will continue until either:听
- the pest or disease has been eradicated听听
- there has been a transition to ongoing management of the pest or disease听
If there鈥檚 an outbreak of a pest or disease on your site, your local APHA inspector or regional manager will keep you informed during the response and recovery phases.听听
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Defra, the Forestry Commission and the devolved governments in Scotland and Wales work together to protect plant biosecurity in Great Britain. The Plant biosecurity strategy for Great Britain 2023 to 2028 sets out how and why.
If you find a plant pest or disease听
England, Wales and Scotland听
To report a quarantine plant pest or disease in England or Wales, telephone 0300 1000 313 or email [email protected]. This includes pests and diseases affecting agricultural crops.听听听听
To report a tree pest or disease in England, Scotland or Wales,鈥�.听听
To report a plant pest or disease in Scotland, contact SASA (Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture) at [email protected]. If a pest or disease is affecting an agricultural crop, .听
Northern Ireland听
To report a plant or tree pest or disease in Northern Ireland, contact the DAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) Plant Health Inspection Branch. Telephone 0300 200 7847鈥痮r email [email protected].