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Invasive fungi discovery wins Bio-Security Award

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Kubota Tractor Australia won the 2009 Australian Bio-Security Awards, for identifying an invasive fungi, and taking fast action towards containing it.

  
Invasive fungi discovery wins Bio-Security Award

From the left: Burke, Vincent and KTA VP Tony Taniichi

Initially it was thought that blue stain fungi were on 100 wooden crates shipped to it from the US. But Kubota ended up de-crating more than 1000 to be doubly sure.


The Australian Bio-Security Awards recognise outstanding achievements in safeguarding national bio-security integrity. A record number of 45 nominations were received and Kubota won the national award from four other regional winners.


In a ceremony at Parliament House on November 26, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke, presented the award to KTA’s Greg Vincent.


He said Kubota had a global policy of focusing on environmental values, and as many of its people are from rural backgrounds, “we know only too well the detrimental effects that can be caused by introduced pests and diseases.”


The company employed extra staff to help the current members conduct a large scale inspection of packaging material and to help trace other shipments that had gone directly to clients.


“Everyone played a role, from our managing director quickly contacting key management in the US, as well as keeping Japan informed on our progress, to our forklift drivers and assemblers dismantling crates in order to dispose of them in a biologically friendly process. Bulletins were sent to our dealer network to update and inform them of any risks and action required if anything was discovered”.


All shipments to KTA from the US were suspended, until KTA could be assured that associated companies in the supply chain, put new procedures in place to enforce greater quality control. If there was any doubt about packaging it was destroyed.


Vincent said, “Since the initial discovery, there have been no further cases of blue stain fungi coming into the country. However, to remain proactive on this issue, we are investigating other packaging alternatives, including a recently received shipment of tyres packaged on heavy duty recycled cardboard pallets.”


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