News and events

The updated Standard No. 1, Version 25, endorsed in July 2026, introduces a nationally consistent framework for developing Technical Reference Guides for plant pest surveillance. It includes clearer governance and review processes, standardised surveillance terminology, stronger evidence and quality requirements, and improved links with diagnostic and surveillance data standards.

Hannah Cooke, the new Deputy Chair of the Subcommittee on National Plant Health Surveillance (SNPHS), shares her career story, offers some advice to biosecurity surveillance newcomers and tells us about her hopes for her new role within SNPHS.

Mites of the genus Cenopalpus are plant-feeding pests that can cause significant damage to fruit and ornamental plants, such as apples and peaches. These mites are mainly found in Asia, Europe, and northern Africa, but the global trade of plants is facilitating their spread to new areas. This study, published in Insects journal, examines official border inspections from several countries to understand how often and where Cenopalpus mites are being transported.