Western Australia (WA) is free from a number of serious plant pests, diseases and weeds which are present elsewhere in Australia. If introduced into WA, many of these would be devastating to agricultural and horticultural industries.
For seed to be allowed entry into WA, certain requirements must be met. First, they must be listed as permitted on the Western Australian Organism List (WAOL).
Western Australian Organism List
Search for restricted seed types
Seed must be free from pests and diseases of quarantine significance. All consignments are inspected on arrival.
On arrival in WA, consignments of seed should be accompanied by an original Seed Analysis Certificate (bulk search), identifying the genus and species of the seed and seed contaminents issued by one of the following:
- A Seed Certification Scheme approved by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (or equivalent) in the state or territory of origin; or
- An inspector authorised by the exporting state or territory's quarantine authority certifying that seed has been sampled and analysed by an approved laboratory in accordance with the standards prescribed by the International Seed Testing Authority; or
- A person approved under a quality assurance arrangement. Contact the QWA Quality Assurance Officer at qa@dpird.wa.gov.au or telephone 08 9334 1800.
Additional information is contained in the WA seed import requirements booklet:
Important
- Where multiple consignments are sent from one seed lot number, a register based on the original certificate is held with Quarantine WA (QWA). This avoids weed check for each consignment. Such consignments are subject to inspections on arrival into WA – inspection fees apply.
- Certification can be checked prior to export by emailing certificates to the QWA Seeds Officer – document inspection fees apply. You will be advised of any problems. If consignments arrive in WA with incorrect or no certification, consignment(s) will be subject to sampling and analysis on arrival. If requirements are not met, the consignment may be subject to re-export, seizure or destruction. Inspection fees and all costs associated with bulk search seed analysis destruction or re-export of consignment apply.
- Treatment certificates are valid for 21 days from the date of issue.
- Plant Health Certificates must be the original document. QWA will only accept a copy of the original Plant Health Certificate when the issuing Quarantine Inspector emails the certificate from their office to the QWA office. The Plant Health Certificate must be endorsed as follows: ‘This is a true and original copy’ and signed and dated by the issuing inspector.
- Plant Health Certificates are only valid for 21 days from date of certification.
Seed must be presented to QWA on arrival
The prescribed inspection points are the first point of entry into WA. For further information contact the QWA seeds officer. The inspection ensures the above requirements are met and the consignment details match any certification.
Some seeds must be certified as meeting prescribed pest and/or disease freedom requirements
On arrival in WA the seed must be accompanied by an original Plant Health Certificate issued by an inspector from the exporting state or territory's quarantine authority or a person authorised under an approved quality assurance arrangement verifying that the seeds meets the prescribed pest and disease freedom requirements.
Seed packaging and inspection requirements
- Certified as inspected to International Seed Testing Association standards: The exporting company supplies a Bulk Search Analysis certificate from an ISTA accredited laboratory and an inspection for pests, diseases and soil will be conducted upon arrival (W01 inspection fee applies).
- For retail packs of vegetable, fruit and ornamental seed 50 gm and under: Document verification may still be undertaken by a QWA inspector (i.e. check if species is permitted on WAOL; W17 document inspection fee applies) and/or random physical inspections conducted upon arrival.
- Seed lots less than or equal to 10 kg in weight or seed lots containing seed greater than 8 mm in diameter (pelleted and blended seed excluded): Inspection upon arrival will be conducted without the need for a Bulk Search Analysis certificate (W01 inspection fee applies). If contamination is found, a sample will e drawn in accordance with ISTA procedures and submitted to a DPIRD-approved seed purity testing laboratory. All costs are charged to the importer.
Note: seed blends and pelleted seeds are not able to be inspected for non-permitted seed contamination.
Seed imports from overseas must meet the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry quarantine import requirements.
Genetically modified seed sent from interstate sources must be inspected by QWA to ensure it meets legislated WA import requirements.
Note: The Australian Government Office of the Gene Technology Regulator , Transport Regulations for the movement of Genetically Modified Organisms and applicable licence conditions must be followed when consigning genetically modified seed into WA.
Approved seed testing laboratories in Australia
DDLS – Seed Testing and Certification
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
+61 8 9368 3844
Seed Services Australia
Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA)
Plant Research Centre - Gate 2A Hartley Grove, Waite Campus
Urrbrae SA 5064
Contact: Nicholas Koch
+61 8 8303 9549 | PIRSA.Seed@sa.gov.au
AgEtal Pty Ltd
Unit 9, 24-26 Carroll Street
Wilsonton QLD 4350
Contact: Ken Cunliffe
+61 7 4633 3223 | ken@agetal.com.au
Australian Seed Labs Pty Ltd
71 Croft Crescent
Toowoomba QLD 4350
Contact: Joanne Butcher
+61 7 4613 9052 | E: seedlab@AustralianSeedLabs.com.au
MNAQ (Australia) Pty Ltd (Previously BVAQ)
3-5 Lillee Crescent
Tullamarine VIC 3043
Contact: Tim Reid, Melissa Gardner
+61 3 8318 9024 | quality@bvaq.com | timothy.reid@bvaq.com | melissa.gardner@bvaq.com
Seed Testing Laboratory Mt Pleasant
Tasmanian Department of Natural Resources and Environment
165 Westbury Road
Prospect TAS 7250
Contact: Ashlee Mitchell
+61 3 6336 5248 | ashlee.mitchell@nre.tas.gov.au | tss@nre.tas.gov.au
Approved seed testing laboratories outside Australia
ISTA certificates issued must be an Orange International Seed Lot Certificate.
Find approved seed testing laboratories outside of Australia
Seed mixes
Seed mixes that DO NOT contain restricted seeds require a Seed Analysis Certificate to accompany the consignment.
Seed mixes containing restricted seeds are to be accompanied by a valid Plant Health Certificate.
QWA utilises best practice following the Association of Official Seed Analysts method:
- The seed supplier must advise the sampler of the components of the mixture and the relative percentage of each type of seed in the mix.
- This information must be supplied to the seed testing laboratory together with the sample, which must be drawn by an accredited sampler.
- It is recommended that the sample provided to the laboratory is at least 1 kg to ensure a sufficient sample is drawn.
- The Bulk Search Weight (BSW) of the mixture is to be calculated by allocating a corresponding proportion of the scheduled BSW for each seed type to the total BSW for the sample.
- The seed testing laboratory shall annotate the component percentages as advised by the client on the Seed Analysis Certificate so QWA can verify the BSW was sufficient, together with a listing of non-component seeds found (if any).
Table 1: Example – calculating the bulk search weight of a seed mixed consignment
Components (as advised by client) |
% component (as advised by client) |
ISTA BSW |
Total BSW |
Phalaris canariensis |
24% |
200 g |
48 g |
Panicum miliaceum |
26% |
150 g |
39 g |
Carthamus tinctorius |
25% |
900 g |
225 g |
Helianthus annuus |
25% |
1,000 g |
250 g |
|
|
Total BSW |
562 g |
Table 2: Example – calculating the maximum lot size for a mixed seed consignment
Components (as advised by client) |
% component (as advised by client) |
ISTA max lot size (kgs) |
Total BSW (% component x ISTA) |
Phalaris canariensis |
24% |
10,000 |
2,400 kg |
Panicum miliaceum |
26% |
10,000 |
2,600 kg |
Carthamus tinctorius |
25% |
25,000 |
6,250 kg |
Helianthus annuus |
25% |
25,000 |
6,250 kg |
|
|
Total BSW |
17,500 kg |
Additional requirements for seed with altered lot codes or other descriptions, such as coated or blended seeds
A statutory declaration is to be made on the exporting company’s letterhead by the responsible officer of that company containing the following information:
- detail or original lot code and seed name/type
- detail of new lot code and seed name/type
- for blends – details of each component in the seed mix/blend including individual lot codes and species names with percentages
- for coated seed – details of the increase in lot weight (if any)
- name of person making declaration, their position and signature plus date of issue.
Summary of restricted seed types
Commodity |
Seed type |
Conditions* |
|
Corn, maize and sweetcorn ** |
Seed for planting Boil smut Ustilaggo maydis |
Condition 19 1. To be certified by the Department of Primary Industry in the state or territory of origin that: a. the seed is from state or territory, or an area within a state/or territory, which is free from boil smut; or b. the seed has been treated with: i. 2-(thiocyano-methyl-thio) benzothiazole (TCMTB) at the rate of 32 mL/100 kg of seed; or ii. Vitavax 200FF® at the rate of 500 mL/100 kg of seed. |
|
Cotton ** |
Seed for sowing Verticillium wilts |
Condition 37 1. Be imported as authorised by, and in accordance with, the terms and conditions of an import permit issued under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007. 2. Must be acid delinted to the satisfaction of an inspector appointed under the Act. 3. Cotton Boll for processing – contact QWA seeds officer (C100 also applies). 4. Cotton Seed for Stock Feed – contact QWA seeds officer. |
|
Lucerne ** |
Seed for planting Bacterial wilt |
Condition 20 1. To be imported into WA, each consignment of lucerne seed for planting must either be: 1.1 grown and packed in a state or territory that is free from bacterial wilt of lucerne as evidenced by an Area Freedom Certificate approved by the Chief Plant Biosecurity Officer of WA; or 1.2 accompanied by an Interstate Plant Health Certificate issued by the biosecurity authority in exporting state or territory or a certificate under an interstate certificate assurance arrangement approved by the Chief Plant Biosecurity Officer certifying that the lucerne seed has been tested by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and found free from bacterial wilt of lucerne. |
|
Mango ** |
Seed Mango seed weevil |
Condition 12 Conditions apply to mango seed imports. Please check dpird.wa.gov.au/importsearch for WA import requirements or contact the QWA seeds officer.
|
|
Myrtaceae family For example Eucalyptus, Callistemon, Leptospermum |
Seed for planting Myrtle rust |
Condition C78 1. Each consignment to be accompanied by an Interstate Plant Health Certificate issued by the quarantine authority in the exporting state or territory, or under a quality assurance arrangement approved by the Chief Plant Biosecurity Officer WA certifying that the following requirement has been met: Seed has been treated as follows: a. with a seed fungicide that contains 4 g/L cypermethrin and 150 g/L triadimenol as its active constituents: or b. with a seed fungicide that contains 12.5 g/L fludioxonil, 37.5 g/L metalaxyl-M and 75 g/L azoxystrobin as its only active constituents; or c. by surface sterilisation by immersion in 1% sodium hypochlorite solution (1% available chlorine) for 10 minutes, then rinsed, dried and held in secure conditions that prevent myrtle rust contamination. |
|
Palm ** |
Seed Fruit flies |
Palm seed with a fleshy pericarp may be subject to fruit fly requirements. |
Commodity |
Seed type |
Conditions* |
Sorghum ** |
Seed Sorghum midge
General diseases: Rust Puccinia purpurea
|
Condition 23 (sorghum midge) 1. To be certified that the seed has been fumigated with: a. phosphine in a sealed enclosure at 1.5 g/m3: i. for seven days at above 25°C; or ii. for 10 days at 15°C to 25°C; or b. certified as fumigated with methyl bromide for 2 hours in a sealed enclosure at one of the following rates; i. 32 g/m3 of methyl bromide at 21 to 31.9°C of seed flesh temperature; or ii. 40 g/m3 of methyl bromide at 16 to 20.9°C of seed flesh temperature; or iii. 48 g/m3 of methyl bromide at 11 to 15.9°C of seed flesh temperature; or iv. 56 g/m3 of methyl bromide at 10 to 10.9°C of seed flesh temperature; or v. irradiated at minimum dose of KGy 25.0 and accompanied by a pre-shipment certificate of irradiation to this effect. 2. Seed to contain less than 1% by weight of chaff consisting of pieces of vegetative parts of plants other than seed or seed fragments.
Condition 23A (general diseases) 1. Sorghum seed for sowing to be certified by an officer from the exporting state, territory, or country’s quarantine authority as: a. dipped in 2% available chlorine for 5 minutes; or b. dusted with Thiram 80% at the rate of 200 g/100 kg of seed; or c. water slurry with Thiram (80%) at the rate of 200 g/100 kg of seed; or d. water slurry with Thiram (60%) at the rate of 270 mL/100 kg of seed. |
Quarantine inspection services
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate – Environment
13 22 81
New South Wales
Department of Primary Industries
+61 2 6391 3100
Northern Territory
Department of Primary Industries and Resources
+61 8 8999 2118
Queensland
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
+61 7 3404 6999
South Australia
Primary Industries and Regional South Australia
+61 8 8207 7900
E: pirsa.planthealth@sa.gov.au
Tasmania
Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania
+61 3 6777 2146
biosecurity.tasmania@dpipwe.tas.gov.au
Victoria
Agriculture Victoria
13 61 86
Contact Us
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Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
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Australian Government Office of the Gene Technology Regulator