Industry News – HPA

How to secure your future hop supply

Pixel3 — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 12:17:17 +0000

The past five years represent an unprecedented time in the hop industry’s history with demand growing more quickly than growers can accommodate. But the fundamentals of the market have not changed just because everyone is drinking craft beer. Hop growers are still as sensitive to over supply as they ever were, particularly with the recent downturn in volume due to COVID-19.

The hop industry needs a foundation on which to plan for the future. This was once easy when there were fewer, larger breweries buying hops. Now, the craft beer movement has led to an increase in smaller, incremental buyers which magnifies the effect of an unpredictable harvest or the ever-changing tastes of consumers.

Hop contracts are a necessity if we ever hope to have hop supply meet hop demand. They provide growers with valuable insights into the direction of the market, enable them to invest in quality and capacity improvements, and adjust their acreage accordingly. By entering into a hop contract, breweries are supporting the industry by:

Providing growers with better insight into demand
Projecting the variety and expansion required for growers to successfully support brewers
Preventing shortages, overages and variety discontinuation
Creating more certainty and stability in the industry

A hop contract is a legal document where two promises are made. A brewery promises to take possession of, and pay for, specific varieties and volumes of hops. A supplier promises to deliver those hops. Generally, all hop contracts are forward contracts with best practice being to enter a minimum 12-month contract for the hops your brewery uses most often (although three to five years is now pretty standard) and reserve spot purchases for one-off batches, small canning runs and/or unexpected growth. We offer forward contracts starting from as little as 5kg cartons.

Accurate forecasting is important to prevent brewers taking more than needed, which eventually leads to the sub-selling of hops. Brewers can accurately forecast their hop needs using the following approach:

2020: Contract 90-100% of projected needs from 2021 crop
2021: Contract 75-80% of projected needs from 2022 crop
2022: Contract 50-75% of projected needs from 2023 crop
2023: Contract 25% of projected needs from 2024 crop

Each year, the brewery should move these contracts forward, writing additional contracts that fill out its needs.

Since overall production, brands and recipes are likely to change, contracts should be reviewed and adjusted regularly. As you build a relationship with your supplier this becomes more of an ongoing conversation about what your needs might be and how they can assist you in reaching your goals. Most breweries will have more than one supplier who will each offer slightly different terms and approaches to contracting.

We are thankful for the brewers who contract responsibly, understand the importance of the documents they sign, and fulfil their obligations. In return, we also strive to contract responsibly by maintaining a reserve that allows for some agricultural variance, and growing the most stable crop we possibly can so we fulfil all our obligations as well.

Now is the time to review your hop requirements

Pixel3 — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 12:32:21 +0000

It’s been a rough year for our industry, with many breweries impacted by the unique challenges surrounding COVID-19. As the hop growers in the northern hemisphere enter the throes of hop harvest, the hop growers in the southern hemisphere are seeing their plants emerge from winter dormancy and starting to organise their stringing and training teams. This is a critical time to take stock of your brewery’s situation, so we can adjust production to match likely demand for our crop.

Earlier this year, Brewers Association Supply Chain Specialist Chris Swersey wrote an article explaining why it is so critical to communicate your hop requirements accurately and often. This is a summary of his thoughts.

As we work our way through these uncertain times together, it is important to consider:

Necessary adjustments to your estimated hop demand for the rest of 2020 and 2021.
How much your estimated hop demand differs from the quantities in your contracts.
How many kilograms of each hop variety you will actually need.

Now is the time to share this information with us. The sooner you do, the sooner we can:

Limit the production of hops that brewers will never use, saving resources and reducing process costs.
Rework contracts to accurately reflect future needs that may have changed because of disruption to the brewing industry.
Account for the purchase of spot market hops. This is particularly important for smaller brewers who do not forward contract hops. In these uncertain times, buyers who are otherwise not visible in the form of contracts are assuming extremely high risk in terms of supply surety. While most hops are produced and purchased under contract, a significant quantity are still produced and purchased without contract.

Growers seek to avoid long positions on uncommitted hops since there is a risk they may never sell. Every extra hectare of uncommitted hops imposes an establishment cost on the system. Since brewers are the only buyer of hops, the industry as a whole will ultimately pay these costs, whether the hops are actually purchased or not.

You can help your brewery, your grower and your industry by communicating your hop requirements accurately and often. Your local sales rep is only a call or an email away, and committed to supporting your brewery so you can keep making great beer.

Interpreting hop certificates of analysis

Pixel3 — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 12:37:32 +0000

Understanding hop analysis is key to producing beer of consistent quality. Hops are a natural ingredient produced by a highly specialised horticultural system in temperate regions around the world, which means they are subject to seasonal and lot-by-lot variations. Hop analysis gives brewers the opportunity to optimise their process to achieve consistency and efficiency.

This information is intended to be a high-level practical introduction to interpreting hop analyses, and their relationship with brewing performance and beer quality. It will not explore the hop production process or how these parameters are controlled by the hop suppliers.

Hop requirements in the brewery

The basic attributes of hops should meet the following requirements:

Normal colour, specifications, flavour and aroma
Intact and appropriate packaging and product type
Accurate labelling as to variety, origin, production date and bittering potential
Free from contamination and safe for use in beer production

Product types

Hop suppliers typically provide certificates of analysis (CoAs) for dried whole hop cones or hop pellets, but they can also provide CoAs for alternate product types upon request. For instance, green hops are available during harvest, have a very short-shelf life, and typically make up a minor component of the annual hop requirement for a brewery.

Dried whole hop cones are the most natural, unprocessed product type, and can be used to form a filter bed when straining the boiled wort or dry hopping. They are picked, dried and pressed into bales, which can be broken down into smaller, vacuum sealed quantities.

Hop pellets are dried whole hop cones that have been milled into powder and pressed through a pellet die. Different milling technology allows for the production of various pellet types. The most common are T90 (standard), T45 (lupulin enriched) and pre-isomerised.

Certificates of analysis and specifications

Brewers can use CoAs to anticipate process changes required to achieve consistent brewing results, and to verify compliance with hop specifications.

Most product types will be supplied in sealed, oxygen barrier laminated foils that have been back-flushed with inert gas (carbon dioxide or nitrogen) and packed in cardboard cartons.

As a minimum, each carton should be labelled with variety, producer, crop year, production date, batch identification numbers, product type, net weight and bittering potential (alpha acid contents and analysis method). There is no standardisation of CoA information. In their most basic form a CoA will cover the same information as the carton labels, but some more detailed CoAs may include additional information such as essential oil content, moisture content or agricultural chemical residue reporting.

Typical hop analyses and their significance

Drivers of variability in analytical hop quality outcomes

Accuracy and inter-laboratory error in hop analysis

When assessing compliance with hop specifications, it is important to note many of the methods published by European Brewery Convention (EBC) and American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) for measuring the above analytes have high standard deviations and inter-laboratory error. The ASBC run an international check sample service that is focused on the analysis of bitter acids using titration, spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). There are currently no inter-laboratory comparisons made for determination of moisture content, oil content or essential oil profiles.

Food safety issues

Hops that are used in brewing are a food ingredient. This means producers are required to ensure all typical food safety requirements are met. Suppliers should be able to provide allergen and residue statements.

Beyond CoAs

Hop CoAs and label information describe the hops at the time of packaging. Chemical changes that affect performance in beer may occur if the hops are transported, stored and/or handled improperly at any stage of the supply chain.

HPA Appoints Owen Johnston as new CEO

jAmieaDMin27 — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 03:33:10 +0000

The Board and shareholders are pleased to announce that HPA has appointed Owen Johnston as their new CEO, following an extensive global process with the assistance of Derwent Search. The current Head of Sales & Marketing will commence his new position when current Managing Director & CEO Tim Lord retires at the end of April 2025.

Owen built Moo Brew, the largest craft brewery in Tasmania, Australia, where he worked as Head Brewer for 10 years before turning his focus to bringing Aussie flavour hops to brewers around the world. He has a BSc and MBA from the University of Tasmania and a Master of Science from the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland which form the foundation of his extensive understanding of the supply chain, from the hop farm to the brewery floor. Over the past 11 years at HPA, Owen has been instrumental in building a globally recognised brand that is valued by brewers around the world.

Shareholder Stephan Barth said “Owen’s extensive 20+ years’ experience in the beer and hop industry sets him up to spearhead the business’ next phase of development. He has worked at HPA for the past 11 years and has intricate knowledge of the business, the industry, the driving forces that will support our future, and importantly our customers. Owen is well placed to represent the BarthHaas group as HPA’s new CEO.”

Owen Johnston said “I’m honoured and delighted to be appointed HPA’s new CEO, and really looking forward to leading HPA’s next chapter, ensuring we continue to create impactful flavours to delight beer lovers. We’ve built a great team at HPA, and I’m very proud of what we have achieved, particularly in the last 10 years. I am confident we will continue to face challenges together and collaborate strongly with our partners for continued success as the high-quality specialist hop supplier of choice.”

Mr Barth noted “On behalf of the shareholders, I would like to extend our deep gratitude to Tim Lord for his leadership and integrity during his 20 years as Managing Director & CEO, and for the instrumental role he has played in HPA becoming a globally recognised supplier of flavour hops. He laid out the vision for HPA’s growth in Australia and overseas.”

Owen will work closely with Tim over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition, with a continued focus on our customers, providing stability, and positioning HPA to thrive in beer and beyond.

Introducing SPECTRUM

Pixel3 — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 00:31:59 +0000

Add an extra dimension to your beers with SPECTRUM, a revolutionary liquid dry hopping product that increases brewing yields and reduces tank turnover times while delivering maximum hop flavour.

SPECTRUM is like nothing you’ve experienced before. It’s 100% hop-derived, flowable and fully soluble with consistently true-to-type hop flavour.

Save time & money

The only dry hopping product that is fully dissolvable, leaving you with more beer and less cleaning.

Consistent flavour

True-to-type flavour including glycosidically bound fractions essential for biotransformation.

100% hop-derived

100% hop-derived liquid with no carriers or synthetic solvents.

Now available in Citra^®, Eclipse^®, Enigma^®, Galaxy^®, Mosaic^® and Vic Secret.

SPECTRUM is the perfect solution for breweries that:

Would like to experiment with dry hopping
Don’t have dry hopping equipment but would like to dry hop
Have limited tank capacity and want shorter contact times
Want to add large amounts of hops on the cold side
Want full hop flavour, not just hop aroma
Want consistent product quality
Want to eliminate hop creep

Top brewing tips:

Take an iterative approach
Recommended dose rate: up to 80% of T90
Replacement rate for T90 pellets: 1:5 – 1:8
Warm to room temperature prior to use
Lower viscosity by warming in 40°C bath
When not using dynamic dosing system, pre-disperse in 5-10 x amount of lukewarm de-aerated water or wort
Dose during second ferment when 1-2°P off terminal gravity
Store at 2-15°C, use within 12 months of production date
Blanket open bottles with inert gas, reseal, and use within 1 month of opening

If it sounds too good to be true, don’t take our word for it. Some legends of the brewing industry have been involved in product trials:

“SPECTRUM has really helped us reduce beer loss when dry hopping our IPAs, while still delivering juicy, hop-forward flavours.”

Mick O’Rance, Sunday Road Brewing, AUS

“SPECTRUM is the best hop product that I have ever used.”

Jason Oliver, Founding Brewmaster, Devils Backbone, US

“We have seen a lower and more consistent loss rate on the beers we have trialled SPECTRUM in, and are really impressed with the flavour profile it gives. We have taken it up to 50% of the dry hop in one of our beers and saw a much shorter tank time due to lower amount of hop creep and a smaller spike in VDK.”

Sophie de Ronde, Head Brewer, Burnt Mill Brewery, UK

“SPECTRUM helped us solve long standing production issues with our dry hopping processes. Much of our infrastructure struggles with processing extreme dry hop loads using traditional pellets, causing unacceptable beer loss and production down time. Spectrum allows us to continue to push the limits with our beer without sacrificing time and beer quality.”

Ross Koenigs, Brewing Innovations Specialist, New Belgium Brewing, US

We have a limited supply of SPECTRUM Citra^®and SPECTRUM Mosaic^®available now.

Get in touch with your HPA rep today to secure your supply:

International

Owen Johnston

owen.johnston@hops.com.au

0400 126 015

National, NSW & ACT

Michael Capaldo

michael.capaldo@hops.com.au

0490 441 090

TAS & NZ

Adrian Ianculovici

adrian.ianculovici@hops.com.au

0498 648 770

WA, SA & NT

Brad Nolen

brad.nolen@hops.com.au

0417 397 364

QLD

Simeon Bonetti

simeon.bonetti@hops.com.au

0490 489 007

VIC

Phil Rutjens

phil.rutjens@hops.com.au

0421 944 849

Biosecurity is everybody’s business

Pixel3 — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 09:35:46 +0000

Biosecurity plays a critical role in the Australian hop industry. It keeps our hops free from the world’s most damaging pests and diseases.

Managing biosecurity is the shared responsibility of our staff and every visitor to our farms, as people can unintentionally carry pests, diseases and weeds without even realising.

To limit the risk of these threats to our hops, we ask our visitors to:

Ensure vehicles, equipment and clothing are clean and free from pests and other plant material prior to their visit
Park in the designated areas
Sign the visitor register, clean and disinfect boots at the farm office immediately upon arrival

The biosecurity legislation of each Australian state and territory enforces restrictions on the movement of certain items to protect their unique environments and valuable agricultural markets.

In Victoria, Rostrevor Hop Gardens and Buffalo River Valley are protected by legislation that is focused on preventing any biosecurity emergencies that could affect Victoria and Australia.

In Tasmania, Bushy Park Estates is protected by the island’s natural barrier from mainland Australia and overseas, as well as some of the strictest biosecurity legislation in the world. This is enforced by biosecurity officers and detector dogs. In particular, fresh fruit and vegetables, cut flowers, plants, animal and fish products, seeds, soil and other agriculture related products are restricted or prohibited from entering the state. Pests, diseases and weeds may also travel unseen in mud, or lodged in the crevices of recreational machinery, vehicles and other gear. For this reason, it is important these items are checked, cleaned, disinfected and dried before entering Tasmania.

Fortunately for our international visitors, we are assisted by the Australian Government who operate across the whole biosecurity continuum with offshore, border and onshore measures. They ensure all international travelers and their baggage are screened upon arrival in the country, using x-ray machines, detector dogs, physical inspection and questioning. To ensure you are prepared, check what to do:

You should also check what goods you can bring into Australia each time you travel as import conditions can change. For border clearance do not carry any fresh fruit or vegetables, plants, seeds, meat, animal or wood products, and ensure that your footwear, sporting and recreational equipment is dry and soil free.

Help keep our hops disease free, so you can continue making great tasting beer.

Hop storage techniques that preserve impact in beer

Pixel3 — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 11:31:05 +0000

We recently collaborated with the Independent Brewers Association (IBA) to create a guide to interpreting hop Certificates of Analysis (CoA). A CoA describes the hops at the time of packaging. To preserve their impact in beer, we seal our hops in oxygen barrier laminated foils that have been back-flushed with carbon dioxide. But the degradation of alpha acids and essential oils happens very quickly once the foils are opened and the hops are exposed to oxygen. Luckily, there are some simple and cost effective steps that brewers can take to keep their hops fresh and their beers consistent.

Unopened foils will last up to three years in storage temperatures of 1°C-5°C. But we know that not every foil will be used in its entirety as soon as it’s opened. Once a foil is opened the oxidisation of alpha acids begins almost immediately, and the more volatile oils (ie. Myrcene) are rapidly lost. To limit these chemical changes that directly effect impact in beer we recommend that brewers:

Refrigerate hops in storage temperatures of 1°C-5°C (or lower)
Reseal opened foils
Date and time stamp opened foils

Storage

Hops should be stored in temperatures of 1°C-5°C (or lower) at all times. Storage stability varies from variety to variety. Each hop has different levels of natural antioxidants, and varying susceptibility to oxidation. This can cause them to lose quality faster, even under identical storage conditions.

Regardless of variety, exposure to oxygen, heat and light should be avoided to preserve impact in beer. The quality of hops exposed to high temperatures will rapidly degrade. The higher the temperature, the more they will degrade. This effect has been shown to halve for every 15°C drop in temperature. And hops exposed to high levels of UV light can produce off or cheesy flavours in beer.

Hop pellets degrade more slowly in foils than whole hops. Their compact shape keeps out a lot of oxygen and allows them to be easily vacuum packed to further slow the loss of alpha acids and oils. They also take up less storage space, making it more practical to keep them refrigerated.

While hops are occasionally shipped via refrigerated freight, this is often not the case. Depending on the length and logistics of the journey, hops may be exposed to ambient temperatures for periods of time. Short durations typically have no impact on hop quality, but should be limited to no more than a few days where possible. Hop quality only becomes a factor if pellets are exposed to oxygen, direct UV light, or extreme temperature fluctuations during transit and storage. Foils are specifically designed to protect hops from both exposure to oxygen and direct UV light.

Resealing vs Wrapping

Brewers should not open foils until necessary. Once opened, the best thing to do is reseal any remaining hops in the foil using a commercial chamber vacuum sealer and return to storage temperatures of 1°C-5°C (or lower). The two key features a brewer should look for in a vacuum sealer are to ability to comfortably hold a 5kg foil, and pre-installed inert gas back-flushing capability or the option to fit a separate gas back-flushing kit. These devices start at AUD$5,000 when brand new (example here), but you can often source them second hand from restaurants. They are a particularly good investment for those with brewpubs, as it can be used in both the brewery and the kitchen. Ideally, brewers should reseal the original foils to retain the benefits of the oxygen barrier. But the next best thing is commercial grade vacuum bags. This method should result in a foil or bag that is tightly sealed while still allowing the hops to move around.

If vacuum sealing is not an option, brewers should simply squeeze all oxygen out of the foil then wrap and tape so it is as airtight as possible. The hops should then be placed back in storage temperatures of 1°C-5°C (or lower).

Best Before Date

Ideally, once a foil has been opened the hops should be used within a few days to minimise loss of alpha acids and oils. However, any remaining hops that have been resealed or wrapped in their original foil should last up to two months depending on the variety and overall exposure to oxygen.

If the re-sealed or wrapped hops are no longer in their original foils, brewers should label them with their variety, lot code, crop year, alpha acid percentage and weight before returning them to storage temperatures of 1°C-5°C (or lower). This will help determine their expected impact in beer at time of use.

One common test to determine the storage stability of a particular variety is to measure the amount of alpha acids lost over a six month period at 20°C. There is a direct relationship between the losses and the Hop Storage Index (HSI). If you know original alpha acids and the HSI, you can predict alpha acid losses and adjust your recipe accordingly to create more consistent beers. Click here for step-by-step instructions.

Stop the import of damaging pests and diseases

Pixel3 — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 11:40:28 +0000

The Australian hop industry is fortunate to be free from many damaging pests and diseases that affect hop production overseas. Protecting this enviable status should be an absolute priority since their import could cost growers millions in lost production, unacceptable brewing quality, control and containment programs. While federal, state and territory governments are responsible for all pre and post-border biosecurity measures, their personnel are generalists rather than experts. This means onus is on the hop industry to manage any risks associated with the import of hop propagation material. We need to work together to ensure all growers abide by the import conditions, know the key threats, remain vigilant and report suspected incursions.

Despite the fact there are prescribed pre and post-border biosecurity measures in place, it’s very difficult to import hop propagation material safely, even when the import conditions are followed to the letter. The import conditions for hop propagation material are available on the Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) system, and include a valid permit, virus-free certification, establishment and disease screening at a government owned quarantine facility. Failure to abide by these import conditions exposes all stakeholders in the hop industry to high levels of risk and may result in a hefty fine or even jail time.

The Australian hop industry is fortunate to be free from damaging pests and diseases that affect growers overseas, but two-spotted mites and other arthropod pests do occur. In the case of two-spotted mites biological control is sometimes possible with the resident population of predatory mites, such as Phytoseilis persimillis, and other beneficial insects that are available for purchase and release from Biological Services.

There are currently no antifungals registered or permitted for use on hops anywhere in Australia. The onus is on growers to take all necessary precautions to stop the import of key fungal, viral and viroid pathogens in Table 1.

Table 1. Key fungal, viral and viroid pathogens that present a threat to the Australian hop industry

PATHOGEN	SYMPTOMS	OUTCOMES	MANAGEMENT
Citrus Bark Cracking Viroid	Also referred to as severe hop stunt viroid due to its much shorter incubation period. Early season growth is delayed causing the length of internodes to be reduced by as much as two-thirds. The cones on the sparse and shortened laterals are smaller and development is slower. Visible symptoms only take up to one growing season to appear after initial infection.	Caused severe mortality in hops in Slovenia.	Can only be eradicated from the soil by long fallow periods prior to replanting, which would cause major problems since Australia has very limited land available for hop production.
Downy Mildew	Stunted, brittle shoots with downward curling leaves. A distinctive yellowing beginning at the centre of infected leaves may be present before purple to black spores on their underside can be observed.	Caused upheaval in the hop industry in the 1990s. Can result in severe crop damage, and in some cases complete crop failure if significant infection and crown rot occurs.	Infected bines must be manually removed and healthy shoots retrained in their place. No single management tactic provides satisfactory control. Strict attention to growth, prudent irrigation management and timely antifungal applications are needed to manage the disease successfully. Some of these antifungals are copper-based, which presents a major threat as it can inhibit the development of fruit-forward flavours that are characteristic of Australian varieties. Copper is also one of the most widely reported heavy metal soil polutants
Hop Stunt Viroid	Early season growth is delayed causing the length of internodes to be reduced by as much as two-thirds. The cones on the sparse and shortened laterals are smaller and development is slower. Visible symptoms may take three to five growing seasons to appear after initial infection, which frequently leads to propagation and planting of infected material.	Caused severe mortality of hops in Japan, Europe and North America. Can reduce alpha acid yield by 60-80%.	Any infected bines should be removed promptly, including as much root tissue as possible. Because of the latent period, several adjacent plants should also be removed. Sites should be allowed to remain fallow for one season so that any remaining living roots produce shoots that can be treated with herbicide. Farm equipment should also be thoroughly sanitised to remove plant residue that may lead to further transmission.
Mosaic Viroid	Mosaic mottling between major leaf veins that can become necrotic. This is most severe when a period of cool weather is directly followed by a period of high temperatures. Plants can be infected for several seasons without visible symptoms until the appropriate environmental conditions occur.	Infected plants may establish poorly, exhibit weak bines, and often fail to attach to the string. Varieties with Golding ancestry are particularly susceptible, and yield can be reduced by up to 60%.	Use of herbicides rather than mechincal pruning to control basal growth. This may help to reduce transmission to adjacent plants. Application of insecticides to control aphid population may also help to reduce transmission to adjacent plants.
Powdery Mildew	Powdery white masses that develop on stems, leaves, buds and cones. During periods of rapid plant growth, raised blisters are often visible before sporulation can be observed. Infection of burrs can cause abortion or severe distortion as it develops.	Caused upheaval in the hop industry in the 1990s. Can result in severe crop damage, and in some cases complete crop failure due to lost production and unacceptable cone quality. Breeding programs would also experience significant set backs.	Integration of varietal resistance, crop sanitation, fertilization, irrigation and timely application of antifungals throughout the growing season. Some of these antifungals are copper-based, which presents a major threat as it can inhibit the development of fruit-forward flavours that are characteristic of Australian varieties. Copper is also one of the most widely reported heavy metal soil polutants in the world.
Verticillium Wilt	Range and severity vary depending on the aggressiveness of the pathogen. Yellowing of the lower leaves, death of tissue between major veins, and upward curling are common. Infected bines become noticeably swollen and tissue exhibits medium to dark brown discoloration when the plants near flowering.	Caused significant damage in Europe. Plants affected by non-lethal strains in one season may fully recover and appear healthy the following season. In contrast, plants affected by lethal strains will experience a sudden collapse of leaves and laterals that will rapidly kill susceptible varieties.	Can only be completely eradicated from the soil by long fallow periods prior to replanting, which would cause major problems since Australia has very limited land available for hop production.

Australian growers don’t need to look very far for examples of just how devastating the invasion of these key fungal, viral and viroid pathogens could be for the hop industry, particularly because their absence up until this point means that any varieties developed in Australia are possibly susceptible to an outbreak. For instance, it took 5 years and more than $26 million for the Australian banana industry to eradicate Banana Freckle in Cavendish Bananas. Similarly, it took 6 years and more than $1 billion for the New Zeland kiwi fruit industry to recover from Bacterial Canker infecting Golden Kiwi Fruit.

The primary means of importing the key fungal, viral and viroid pathogens is through infected hop plants, from which subsequent propagation can and does occur. If you’re seeking hop propagation material to grow on your farm, at your brewery, or in your backyard, be sure to use a reputable Australian supplier. In other countries, growers have developed programs like the National Clean Plant Network. There is currently no such program in Australia, so propagation should only be made from parent plants that are known to have good growth, yield and are free from pests and disease symptoms. Growers should discuss plant health status with their supplier, inspect parent plants in field, and access plant pathology services through their local Department of Primary Industries (DPI). If you can’t source the hop propagation material you need from an Australian supplier, it is essential that you import certified virus-free material while abiding by the strict import conditions.

Digital resources are also becoming increasingly important to plant biosecurity, providing fast access, download and analysis of information. See Table 2 for some of the online systems are used by stakeholders in the biosecurity system.

Table 2. Digital resources that aid plant biosecurity in Australia

RESOURCE	ORGANISATION	INFORMATION
Australian Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) for hop seed, hop tissue culture and hop nursery stock	Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment (DAWE)	• Import conditions • Fact sheets • Contingency plans • Diagnostic protocols
The Biosecurity Portal	Plant Health Australia (PHA)	• National plant surveillance reporting tool • Knowledge bases and data libraries • Shared spaces for committees and working groups • Awareness and information resources
The Australian Plant Pest Database (APPD)	Plant Health Australia (PHA)	• Key reference system for plant pests and diseases • Information on validated pests and diseases of plants with significance to agriculture, forestry, pasture or the environment • Draws information from 18 databases throughout Australia
AUSPestCheck	Plant Health Australia (PHA)	• Surveillance data on the presence or absence of exotic and established pests around Australia • Maps generated in real time provide digital representation of pest status around the country, including during invasions

While the Australian Government is responsible for the majority of pre and post-border biosecurity measures, state and territory governments are responsible for the delivery of plant biosecurity operations and supporting legislation within their borders. Each state and territory has a different approach to preventing the spread of existing and exotic pests and diseases, primarily due to the varied climatic conditions and legislative frameworks across the country. See Table 3 for details regarding the department that is responsible for plant biosecurity in your state or territory.

Table 3. State and territory government departments responsible for plant biosecurity

STATE OR TERRITORY	DEPARTMENT
ACT	Environment Planning and Sustainable Development (EPSD) Directorate
NSW	Department of Primary Industries (DPI)
NT	Department of Primary Industry and Resources (DPIR)
QLD	Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF)
SA	Department of Primary Industries and Regions (DPIR)
TAS	Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE)
VIC	Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR)
WA	Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)

It’s critically important that anyone who is not prepared to invest the time, money and effort required to abide by the import conditions simply make do with the hop propagation material available in Australia. It’s time to work together to ensure all growers abide by the import conditions, know the key threats, remain vigilant and report suspected incursions that could threaten hop production, the brewing industry, and a future full off delicious hop-forward beers.