Dear Growers,

As you might have seen in the news, MPI agreed at the end of last week to completely stop all imported tomatoes for a 7-day period due to the outbreak of ToBRFV in South Australia. MPI say that all imported tomatoes come from Queensland but the TNZ board didn’t feel that there was enough assurance that no plant material, seeds, people and all the other ways that this virus can spread, had happened between the States. TNZ will continue to work with MPI to have the embargo on imports extended if this risk continues.

In the meantime, as a grower NOW is the time to make hygiene measures at your property a priority. Think carefully about:

• Only using reputable seed growers to order your seeds for the next planting season. Let me know if you’re not sure who is a reputable seed operator
• Clothing (including shoes) for anyone going into the greenhouse. This should be like a uniform and only worn inside your greenhouse. Don’t bring your greenhouse clothes into your car or home to minimise the risk of spreading a virus
• Wash and sanitise your hands before you go into the greenhouse TWICE for at least 30 seconds, use disposable gloves and use sanitiser again. Replace your gloves and put on more hand sanitiser at the end of each row. Every time you leave or go into the greenhouse again, please wash and sanitise your hands TWICE again
• Your tools, any machinery you use all needs to be cleaned with sanitiser at least after working on each row of plants
• Your greenhouse is only for your employees. If necessary take a leaf from a plant to your supplier or consultant. Keep any plant material in a clean zip lock bag
• Your supplier should be able to advise you on foot baths, even with the above precautions, it’s a good idea to also walk through a sanitiser for your shoes before you go in the greenhouse
• If you see something different in your plants, please report it either to me or directly to MPI 0800 809 966

ToBRFV can infect ALL tomatoes whether you grow in a greenhouse or outdoors, if you want advice for field tomatoes, please get in touch.

If you haven’t already seen it, the recording of Jasper a hygiene specialist from Royal Brinkman from the TNZ mini conference is worth watching and is available here.

Royal Brinkman are also hosting a Q&A on ToBRFV Thursday 29^th August at 5pm (3pm Melbourne time). The link to sign up is here.

Updates are posted to the TNZ website here as they are available and on the MPI website here.

In other news, TNZ and Vegetables NZ are holding a supplier event including representatives from companies that have technology for you to reduce your energy demand, find out about alternative heating systems, green finance companies and also someone from Auckland Regional Council who will answer questions on the requirements for the process heat emissions consents which you need to start thinking about to prepare for changes next year. Information about the consents is available here.

There will be no presentations at this event, instead come along anytime between 1pm – 5pm with questions that you want to ask about your specific greenhouse set up.

Please let me know if you have any questions at all.

Kind regards,

Dinah

Dinah Cohen

General Manager TomatoesNZ

M: 021 922 414 Phone: 04 470 5666

A: Level 4, 20 Ballance St, Wellington 6011