Within the national framework for biosecurity, all commonwealth and state governments and plant industries who are signatories to the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD) formally committ to preparations that include: surveillance for key biosecurity risks, a chain of command for reporting suspected incursions, decision making processes for responding to confirmed incursions and industry recovery from confirmed incursions. Cotton Australia is the cotton industry representative and signatory to the EPPRD and underwent 'biosecurity training' instigated by the State government. The industry needed to do the same, creating a network of human capacity at the grass roots of the industry- growers and their RDO's, consultants and Cotton Australia Regional Managers - that are aware of the role they may play in an incursion event. The thinking and decisions taken early in the event may be critical in determining the feasibility of an eradication response.

This project undertook to raise grower and consultant awareness and knowledge of the processes that will occur in the event that a cotton biosecurity incursion is confirmed. Biosecurity awareness training was delivered to 30 participants from key industry groups over three years. Participants included growers, consultants, CottonInfo RDOs, Cotton Australia Regional Managers, CRDC and Cotton Australia Program Managers. Presenters were from eight key stakeholder organisations in biosecurity; Australian Department of Agriculture, Plant Health Australia, NSW DPI, QLD DAFF, CRDC, CSIRO, Cotton Australia, and a Grains Biosecurity Officer. The workshops incorporated a site visit to the Australian Department of Agriculture Central-East Region quarantine and inspection facility, Roseberry, NSW. The in-kind participation from stakeholders and provision of meeting and inspection facilties by the Australian Department of Agriculture and Cotton Australia was a significant contribution to the project.