The document discusses several topics: 1) Updates on a science-policy-practitioner network including two board meetings and a project website update. 2) A proposal to the Defra Future Proofing Plant Health program to develop a collaborative accreditation framework over three years, with the first year focused on developing the framework. 3) A second proposal to develop a standardized nursery testing protocol using DNA metabarcoding to be incorporated into the accreditation scheme over three years.

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i)Network to promote information exchange and interdisciplinary practice
Two more board meetings held (June and Aug 2018) – minutes posted on Huddle
Report on last April’s team meeting and research updates for 2017/18 posted on project
website
Date and location of next all project team meeting ?
WP5: coordination communication and interaction

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Science-policy-practitioner Network (SPPN)
Phyto-threats attendance at National Plant Show
June 2018
Any other stakeholder events to disseminate nursery
results ?
October stakeholder workshop; delayed until
October 2019
WP5: coordination communication and interaction

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Proposal to Defra Future Proofing Plant Health (FPPH) programme 2019-2022
‘Building a collaborative framework to support continued development of accreditation’
1. Development of a collaborative framework to unify existing accreditation initiatives into
a single, effective UK-wide scheme
Proposed time frame:
Yr 1 Develop the collaborative framework, present scientific evidence and
recommendations from Phyto-threats and unite existing initiatives into a single
scheme. Evaluation framework set up to monitor process and feed into development. Four
(quarterly) 2-day workshops will be held during yr 1.
Yr 2 Complete the framework and underpinning criteria of the accreditation scheme and
build on evaluation data to run feasibility assessments.
Yr 3 Work with partners to roll out and evaluate the unified accreditation scheme.
Funding ideas for 2019 and beyond

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2. Develop a standardised nursery testing protocol based on DNA metabarcoding to be
incorporated into the accreditation scheme
Yr 1 Nursery sampling and refinement of methods. Testing of samples for the presence
of bacteria.
Yr 2 Completion of nursery sampling and data analyses, finalise method for yr 3.
Yr 3 Roll out nursery testing as part of the accreditation scheme involving partner
nurseries and evaluation.
•Could such DNA based surveillance greatly enhance the effectiveness of current Statutory
Plant Health inspections ?
Funding ideas for 2019 and beyond