Compulsory biosecurity rules for exporters to australia and new zealand

Australia and New Zealand have kicked off their 2025/26 Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) management season, with strengthened measures designed to stop this destructive pest from hitching a ride through international trade.

Running from 1 September to 30 April, the seasonal controls are critical for protecting agriculture and the environment against the invasive bug, which has already spread through North America, South America, and Europe after first arriving in the United States two decades ago.

Strict compliance is non‑negotiable. Non‑adherence to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) rules by exporters can result in delays, costly onshore treatments, or shipments being refused and re-exported. Shippers are strongly urged to complete treatments offshore and provide accurate documentation to ensure goods move smoothly through border checks.

What’s changing for 2025/26

The updated seasonal measures introduce several important adjustments:

• Emerging Risk Countries: The UK has been moved to the “emerging risk” category, with shipments subject to monitoring and random inspections.
• Airfreight Surveillance: Selected high‑risk goods from the US and China arriving via airfreight will now face random inspection checks.
• New Treatment Option: In addition to sulfuryl fluoride and methyl bromide, Ethyl Formate is approved for offshore fumigation.
• In‑Transit and Rolled Shipments: A revised policy allows conditional approval for onshore re‑treatments, giving importers more flexibility if offshore treatments face disruption.

Risk countries and targeted goods

The controls apply to goods manufactured in, or shipped from, 38 core risk countries plus the newly designated emerging risk countries. Items most under scrutiny include:

• Vehicles, machinery, machinery parts, tyres, and wood products.
• Breakbulk, open-top and flat-rack cargo (strict offshore treatment required).
• Full container loads may be treated either offshore or onshore.
• LCL cargo is treated collectively at the container level, with offshore treatment strongly encouraged.
• Sealed containers loaded before 1 September can be exempt from seasonal measures.

Ensuring smooth compliance

To avoid hold-ups at the border:

• Book offshore treatments early, since onshore fumigation capacity is limited.
• Ensure packaging allows penetration of fumigant or heat treatment.
• Note that the rules do not apply to packaging such as pallets, cardboard, or dunnage.
• Always use DAFF‑approved treatment providers and retain certified documents.

Logicall simplifies compliance

Navigating BMSB regulations can be complex, especially for high‑volume exporters. Logicall assists by:

• Coordinating with DAFF‑approved treatment partners and overseas quarantine bodies.
• Establishing dedicated, sterilised staging facilities for inspection, fumigation, and cleaning before goods are shipped.
• Ensuring that cargo treated in sterile conditions can bypass arrival quarantine checks and flow directly into distribution networks.

By combining offshore readiness with strict compliance, Logicall enables importers to keep trade running on time and minimise disruption during the BMSB high‑risk season.

Visit the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry web site for details of their seasonal measures