Frequently Asked Questions

Could didymo spread to lakes throughout New Zealand?

Yes. Although didymo prefers a river environment with clear water flowing over stable substrate at depths sufficient for light penetration to drive photosynthesis, blooms have been found in South Island Lakes. Lake Wakatipu, for example, contains visible didymo on some parts of the lake shore.

What does the painted apple moth look like?

The painted apple moth is recognisable once you know what to look for.

There are five stages in the painted apple moth life cycle -- egg mass, larvae, pre-pupae, pupae (cocoon), and adult moths -- and the pest looks quite different at each stage. The painted apple moth is most distinctive in the larva (caterpillar) stage, when it is brightly coloured, hairy and easily recognised by the tufts of hair on its back. (No native caterpillars are hairy like the painted apple moth.)

What is the life cycle of the Varroa mite?
Image of the Varroa Mites Lifecycle stages
What does the name Didymosphenia geminata mean?

Didymosphenia, derived from the Latin 'didymos', means double. Likewise, geminata, derived from the Latin word 'geminus', means twin born, paired or double. Both of these words refer to the bilateral microscopic shape of the organism which looks like a curved bottle with paired bulbous ends. This is due to the pairing of two halves of the silicified cell wall which fit together like a Petri dish, with one half slightly smaller than the other.

Are the genetically modified (GM) plants likely to have any adverse effects on human health and safety?

No. None of the GM corn has entered the food chain and there is no cross-pollination risk.

What happens if foot and mouth disease is discovered in New Zealand?

MAF has a full emergency plan ready for immediate action which has clear lines of accountability between the agencies and organisations involved in managing FMD.

Firstly there is an investigation:

Within 15 minutes of an alert to a possible FMD outbreak, a vet is dispatched by the Exotic Disease Response Centre. This vet must report back to the outbreak response manager at the Centre within six hours. During this time the entire exotic disease response system is placed on alert.

If the vet can't rule out FMD, an exotic disease investigator will be sent to collect samples. These samples will then go to the New Zealand Animal Health Reference Laboratory for immediate diagnosis and samples will be sent on the Pirbright Animal Health Laboratory in the UK for final virus 'typing' to determine the exact strain of FMD. Once this is identified a vaccine specific for that strain will be ordered. A Restricted Place Notice will be placed on the farm/s under investigation prohibiting the movement of all livestock, vehicles on and off the farm, and other high risk items.

Then comes the Response phase:

Within the first 24 hours of a definite confirmation of FMD, the following actions must happen:

  • whole of government crisis management mechanism is activated
  • immediate national livestock standstill
  • slaughter of susceptible stock on known infected farms
  • restricted place notices are prepared to quarantine infected premises
  • road blocks put in place
  • movement control of risk products within and out of the restricted place and controlled area
  • intensive tracing and investigation of all livestock movements on and off infected properties
  • decontamination of premises, vehicles and other high-risk items in contact with infected animals
  • markets notified and suspension of trade
  • briefing of officials and key stakeholders
  • markets notified and suspension of trade
  • briefing of officials and key stakeholders, at both national and local level.
What are the most important areas covered by the Biosecurity Surveillance Strategy?

The Biosecurity Surveillance Strategy has been developed to help protect what New Zealanders value the most - our health, economy and social and cultural values. Accordingly, the strategy will apply to biosecurity surveillance in all areas of primary production and the natural environment, from livestock farming to marine habitat conservation. The central themes of the Biosecurity Surveillance Strategy will be: leading biosecurity surveillance, working together, delivering quality surveillance and sharing information. These represent key areas into which strategic goals will be grouped.

If I send a BACC Application by fax as I do now, how will it be processed if it isn't in the Inbound Messaging queue?

The fax processes will continue to be used to process faxed BACC applications, albeit they will be scaled down as the fax traffic decreases, and eBACCa will receive priority.

Who decides what happens to the non-compliant wood packaging?

The importer will be given a choice of treatment, reshipment or destruction of any non-compliant wood packaging. The final decision will rest with MAF.

Could GM lucerne affect lucerne plants in New Zealand?

In the US, genetically modified lucerne could cross-pollinate with non-GM lucerne, and the modified traits may be inherited by the next generation.  Lucerne is a perennial species and feral plants grow along field edges and roadsides in the main seed production areas in the US. Consequently, wild plants containing GM genes may persist in these environments.

Little is known about the potential for persistence of these GMOs in the New Zealand environment. However, GM lucerne is not approved by the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA New Zealand) for release into the New Zealand environment.