{"id":15935,"date":"2026-07-07T10:00:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T00:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greenlifeindustryqld.org.au\/?p=15935"},"modified":"2026-07-06T15:05:30","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T05:05:30","slug":"media-release-giq-and-nfaep-partner-to-strengthen-fire-ant-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greenlifeindustryqld.org.au\/news\/media-release-giq-and-nfaep-partner-to-strengthen-fire-ant-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Media Release: GIQ and NFAEP Partner to Strengthen Fire Ant Education"},"content":{"rendered":"

Greenlife Industry Queensland and the National Fire Ant Eradication Program have today jointly issued the following media release highlighting the Fire Ant Ready pilot program. The announcement recognises the collaborative work underway to support Queensland nursery businesses in meeting their biosecurity obligations while helping prevent the spread of fire ants.<\/em>
\n__<\/p>\n

Joint Media Release: GIQ and NFAEP Partner to Strengthen Fire Ant Education<\/h4>\n

Queensland\u2019s fight against fire ants is taking a significant step forward with the creation of a new role to help nursery businesses remain productive while meeting biosecurity obligations.<\/p>\n

In a first for the National Fire Ant Eradication Program (the program), funding has supported the establishment of a fire ant education officer within Greenlife Industry Queensland (GIQ). This proactive initiative between the program and the nursery industry aims to stop the spread of fire ants and support compliance, with the tools and resources developed available for other industries to adopt.<\/p>\n

The 18-month Fire Ant Ready pilot program will deliver tailored guidance, practical compliance tools, industry resources and one-on-one mentoring to nursery growers operating both inside and outside the fire ant biosecurity zones.<\/p>\n

Brendan Roe, appointed as GIQ\u2019s Fire Ant Education Project Officer brings extensive experience in agronomy and biosecurity to the role.<\/p>\n

He will work closely with nursery businesses across Queensland, providing hands-on support to help them meet their general biosecurity obligations and trade safely.<\/p>\n

By funding this dedicated education role, the program is not only enhancing compliance but also empowering the nursery industry to proactively address biosecurity challenges.<\/p>\n

For more information about the Fire Ant Ready program, visit the GIQ Fire Ant Ready Program Hub<\/a> or the National Fire Ant Eradication Program at fireants.org.au<\/a>.<\/p>\n


\nSean Kelly, Director Operational Capability, National Fire Ant Eradication Program:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018We welcome the appointment of Greenlife Industry Queensland\u2019s dedicated fire ant education officer to help strengthen compliance and education within the nursery industry,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n

\u2018The practical initiative shows how strong industry leadership can significantly reduce the threat posed by fire ants and support businesses to meet their biosecurity obligations.<\/p>\n

\u2018Initiatives like this help stop the spread of fire ants and protect our communities, agriculture, and environment.<\/p>\n

\u2018We remain committed to supporting the nursery sector – and all industries at risk – to protect Queensland and Australia from this ongoing threat.\u2019<\/p>\n


\nColin Fruk, Chief Executive Officer, Greenlife Industry Queensland:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cQueensland nursery growers already demonstrate very high levels of fire ant compliance, because our industry understands what\u2019s at stake for agriculture, the environment and our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis pilot program is about taking the industry from good to great – providing practical tools and one-on-one support so businesses can strengthen their systems and manage compliance with confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy working directly with growers, Brendan will help us develop an industry-driven model that strengthens biosecurity while also supporting productive businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf successful, this approach could become a blueprint for other high-risk industries.\u201d<\/p>\n


\nBrendan Roe, Fire Ant Education Project Officer, Greenlife Industry Queensland:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018I am looking forward to working directly with growers to strengthen industry capability,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve worked both in biosecurity compliance and on large horticultural farms, so I understand the practical challenges growers face with biosecurity.<\/p>\n

\u2018This role is about working alongside businesses to make compliance achievable.<\/p>\n

\u2018Queensland\u2019s nursery growers are already highly committed to doing the right thing, and I\u2019m excited to help build systems and tools that make compliance easier and more efficient.<\/p>\n


\nAbout Greenlife Industry QLD<\/strong><\/p>\n

GIQ is the peak industry body representing Queensland\u2019s nursery and greenlife sector, part of Australia’s $3 billion industry nursery that supplies plants and trees used in landscaping, agriculture, environmental restoration and urban greening across the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Greenlife Industry Queensland and the National Fire Ant Eradication Program have today jointly issued the following media release highlighting the Fire Ant Ready pilot program. The announcement recognises the collaborative […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":324,"featured_media":15936,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":true},"categories":[1],"tags":[107,399,471,477],"class_list":["post-15935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-biosecurity","tag-fire-ants","tag-greenlife-industries","tag-media-release"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t