The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has issued a trader notice to forestry operators highlighting the biosecurity risk of imported forestry machinery.

The notice said that the importation into Ireland of second-hand or used forestry machinery may pose a biosecurity risk due to soil, organic matter and/or plant debris which may be attached to the machine.

The soil, organic matter or plant debris that may be attached can contain harmful forest pests and pathogens, the department said.

In order to ensure that there is no biosecurity risk associated with imports of used or second-hand machinery, and to avoid the control measures being imposed, the department advises importers of these machines to ensure they take the following steps:

Insist from suppliers that all second-hand machinery is cleaned as new;
Request written confirmation or certification from your supplier to ensure the machinery is clean;
Following import, clean and disinfect all second-hand machinery prior to first use;
Do not use machinery which has soil or organic matter attached until it has been thoroughly cleaned and the soil/debris disposed of in a responsible manner.

In addition to all this, forestry operators are required to provide the department with pre-notification of the arrival of used or second-hand machinery being imported.

Importers of second-hand or used forestry machinery must ensure that the consignment complies with the import requirements associated with this type of commodity.

Under EU rules, machinery and vehicles that have been operated for agricultural or forestry purposes originating in non-EU countries (except Switzerland) and moving into the EU, must be accompanied by an official statement (phytosanitary certificate) that machinery or vehicles are cleaned and free from soil and plant debris.

As well as that, machinery and vehicles originating and moving within the EU, which have been operated for agricultural or forestry purposes, must have been cleaned and made free from soil and plant debris prior to any movement.

Used or second-hand machinery being imported which is in contravention of these requirements poses a biosecurity risk and, as such, may be subject to controls by the department.

The department said these controls are necessary to protect Ireland’s plant health status and biosecurity.

These controls can result in measures to prevent this biosecurity risk, which may include:

Refusal of entry to the state;
Re-export at the cost of the operator;
Destruction at the cost of the operator;
Cleaning or disinfection at the cost of the operator.