ORGANIC vegetable growers are warning the range of organic vegetables available in Australia could be drastically reduced if the federal government introduces a proposed change to the nation’s import rules.

Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, rocket, cabbage, turnips and bok choy are among the crops organic growers will find it harder to produce if the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources implements its proposal to make a fungicide treatment compulsory for a range of vegetable seeds entering Australia, Fairfax Media reports.

The proposal comes after the department introduced mandatory fungicide treatment for some melons earlier this year.

Green Harvest Organic Gardening Supplies chief executive Frances Michaels, who has started an online petition against the proposal, told Fairfax organic producers could collapse if the proposal went ahead.

She said it was a “slap in the face” to the industry for the Department to not even suggest an organic alternative to the mandatory fungicide treatment.

media_camera Green Harvest owners Jeff and Frances Michaels. Picture: Glenn Barnes

The Change.org petition has attracted more than 6400 supporters online so far, and states: “The hole in our food security is about to get a lot bigger, our seed supply is under threat!

You may not be aware that over 98% of Australia’s vegetable seed is imported. Australia has virtually no vegetable seed industry of its own, which leaves us very exposed to the future and our ability to quickly adapt to the changing and variable climate.

“The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources through the Biosecurity Import Conditions System (BICON) is changing the import rules in a way that is only visible to ‘stakeholders’. This process is invisible to the wider Australian community. On the surface it appears to accept submissions but it has no accountability to explain why it makes the final choices it does. I believe that as a result of these changes, we are at risk of losing something very precious, our vegetable biodiversity and with it, our future food security.”

Ms Michaels added that: “The first impact on any organic seed supplier, is that they won’t be able to maintain an organic seed supply to growers, or even maintain their organic certification. Seed suppliers are asking Australian Certified Organic (ACO) to confirm what the impact on the organic growers will be. There is no doubt these changes will massively reduce the range of open pollinated, pesticide-free seed.

media_camera Cauliflower and broccoli could be affected. Picture: Paul Trezise

“In the last decade or so we have seen a vastly increased number of school gardens, community gardens, farmer’s markets, young people getting into farming and growing. An inspiring food revolution with a richness of interesting greens, heirloom and ethnic vegetables has also been taking place.

“These regulatory changes will impact all of this positive change and possibly send family-owned seed companies to the wall, leaving our food supply wholly in the hands of just 2 or 3 massive international seed companies. It will greatly increase the cost of seed for seedling growers and small acre farmers. Home gardeners will be left with a greatly reduced range of choices.”

Meanwhile, Australian Certified Organic general manager Sachin Ayachit told Fairfax that consumers would find it hard to access vegetables in the categories under review by the department.

The department told the publication the proposed changes to import rules were “to ensure ongoing protection for Australia’s vegetable industry from increasing biosecurity risks”.

It said there was a need to manage the increased risk of seed-borne pathogens, which was made worse by globalisation of the seed trade.

“The proposed mandatory treatment ... will help manage the risk of these pathogens being introduced to Australia,” it said.

The draft proposal is available for public comment until April 19.