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SUMMARY OF KEY STEPS TO TAKE IF YOU ARE EXPORTING PLANT MATERIAL ON WOODEN PALLETS TO UK & NI IN THE EVENT OF A NO-DEAL BREXIT

REGISTER FOR AN EORI NUMBER

This is a unique reference number that every business will need to have for import/ export declarations when trading with a third country. It only takes a matter of minutes to register online via revenue.ie

FIND THE COMMODITY CODES FOR EACH PRODUCT

Commodity codes are based on the characteristics of the product. These codes will also be required for your import declarations and will help you to identify the relevant tariff rates. For more information visit prepareforbrexit.com

UK TEMPORARY TARIFF RATES

Once the commodity codes have been found, this list can then be checked to see the possible tariff rate.

CONSIDERATIONS

It is important for companies to consider the following:

1. Do you have the capability to complete your declarations in-house or do you plan on using a customs broker?
2. Is your haulier willing to complete the customs clearance for you?
3. Have you spoken to your UK supplier?
4. Who is now responsible and pays for both UK export declarations and Irish import declarations?
5. Is there an alternative supplier within the single market that you can use instead?

For further information contact the BREXIT team at the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine to see if there are any more requirements specifically related to horticulture. Visit www.agriculture.gov.ie/brexit

ISPM NO.15 AND WOOD PACKAGING MATERIAL (WPM) REQUIREMENTS IN THE EVENT OF A ‘NO-DEAL’ BREXIT

WHAT IS ISPM NO.15?
ISPM No. 15 is an international phytosanitary (plant health) measure developed by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) that sets down standards for the phytosanitary treatment and marking of Wood Packaging Material (WPM). WPM is a term used to describe pallets, crates, dunnage, etc. used in international trade for the transport of goods of all kinds. The aim of ISPM No.15 is to prevent the international movement and spread of disease and insects harmful to the health of plants, trees forests or ecosystems.

ISPM No. 15 does not currently apply the Ireland-UK trade. In the event of a No-Deal Brexit, the UK will leave the EU and become a third country (i.e. a non-EU Member State) on the 31st of October 2019.

ISPM NO.15 AND THE EXPORT OF GOODS USING WPM FROM IRELAND TO THE UK

Wood Packaging Material (WPM) including pallets, crates and dunnage, used in the transport of goods moving from Ireland to the UK does not currently need to meet ISPM No.15 requirements. In the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit the position of the UK Government is “In the event of no deal, all WPM moving between the UK and the EU must meet ISPM15 international standards by undergoing heat treatment and marking. All WPM may be subject to official checks either upon or after entry to the EU.

Checks on WPM will continue to be carried out in the UK on a risk-targeted basis only. The plant health risk from WPM imported from the EU is not expected to change as a result of an EU exit. For more information visit, www.gov.uk (Guidance/importing-and-exporting-plants-and-plant-products-if-theres-no-withdrawal-deal)

ISPM NO.15 AND THE IMPORT OF GOODS USING WPM FROM UK TO IRELAND

The EU has indicated the following regarding imports into the EU. “As of the withdrawal date, the introduction of plants, plant products and other objects from the United Kingdom into the EU-27 will be governed by this Directive (Council Directive 2000/29/EC). This is, in particular, relevant for the introduction into the EU of wood packaging material: such wood packaging, whether or not actually in use for the transport of objects of all kinds, has to be compliant with a treatment and mark as specified in the FAO International Standard for Phytosanitary measures No 15 (‘ISPM 15’)”.

KEEPING UP TO DATE

CONTACTS AND FURTHER INFORMATION

● DAFM & EU Brexit information is available at www.agriculture.gov.ie/brexit and
● www.ec.europa.eu/food/plant/plant_health_biosecurity_en

Further information on ISPM No.15 is available at
www.agriculture.gov.ie (forestservice/foresthealthandseeds/exportsofwoodpackagingmaterialispmno15)

Any queries in relation to this matter can also be sent by email to ispm15@agriculture.gov.ie ✽

TRIAL ON NEW WEED CONTROL

MEASURES IN CARROTS, CELERY, AND PARSNIP

Carrot, celery and parsnip growers lost linuron in the middle of 2018. This has been one of their key herbicides for the past number of decades. The purpose of the trial was to test out possible replacements for Linuron.

With this in mind Teagasc set up a series of replicated trials at Kinsealy in 2019 to test out new actives: Emerger, Flexidor and Hurricane. The results were interesting. Emerger worked better than expected and will be a possible replacement for linuron in a tank mix with Stomp and Gamit in carrot, and with Stomp and Goltix in parsnip. Flexidor caused crop damage at higher rates in both carrot and parsnip. Hurricane, a herbicide widely used in cereals, worked well in parsnip but caused some foliar scorch in carrot. A tank mix of Defy and Emerger was the best of the treatments in celery. We also looked at a number of herbicide combinations on leeks with the best result coming from Wing P a week after planting followed a week later by Defy and Lentagran.

Growers who visited the trials were very interested in the results and expressed the wish to see them repeated in 2020. Further information is available if you contact Stephen Alexander or Leo Finn at Teagasc Horticulture Development Department. ✽

‘MALLING CENTENARY’
CONTINUES TO OUTSHINE

Malling Centenary has now replaced ‘Elsanta’ as the number one variety grown in Ireland. This is primarily due to the outstanding quality of the fruit and enhanced harvesting speeds. The first of the ‘Malling Centenary’ trials finished recently at Teagasc Ashtown Development Department. Preliminary data show that a yield of over 1.3 kg per plant was obtained over the two growing seasons. This is an excellent result for a two-season cropping system. The quality of the fruit was also excellent with a very high percentage of class one fruit picked.

‘Malling Centenary’ whilst classed as a short-day plant seems to be anything but due to its complex breeding mix which includes the long day (everbearing) Californian bred strawberry variety ‘Selva’.

It has been observed that if certain environmental conditions have been reached the plant begins to behave like a long day plant. Through our research, we are trying to identify what does exact environmental conditions are. The interaction between temperature and day length plays a big role. The accumulation of growing degree days may also be an important factor. More importantly, for the grower, if those environmental conditions are met the ‘Malling Centenary’ produces a second crop of fruit, which has economic benefits for the grower. Other factors we are looking at include, for example, the effect of planting date and planting density on subsequent production. There are lots of questions that need to be answered.

Essentially what this also means is that the cropping programme which the industry has used for growing the ‘Elsanta’ strawberry variety over the last 40 years will be changed. Our research will play a role in guiding the way forward regarding production protocols.

With all of this in mind, we will be holding a strawberry farm walk on the farm of McCarthy’s Strawberry Growers, Daars, Sallins, Co. Kildare starting at 2 pm on Wednesday the 6th of November.

The main emphasis will be on discussing these new challenges in successfully and profitably growing ‘Malling Centenary’ on your farm. ✽