26 September 2024
Version 2 of the TR4 Biosecurity Add-on for Bananas now available
The TR4 Biosecurity Add-on for Bananas outlines a risk mitigation plan for minimizing the spread of the Tropical Race 4 fungus, also known as Foc TR4, – one of the most destructive diseases in banana and plantain crops – to, within, and from farms with Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) certification. V2 of the add-on has been created to support implementation of the add-on together with IFA v6.
Version 2 of the TR4 Biosecurity Add-on for Bananas now available
About the add-on
Tropical Race 4 fungus, also known as Foc TR4, is the name given to the strain of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense. It is one of the most destructive diseases in banana and plantain crops worldwide, threatening millions of producers who rely on these crops for their subsistence.
With effective treatments yet to be discovered, preventative measures are currently the only practical way of containing the disease and protecting the livelihoods of banana and plantain producers. The TR4 Biosecurity Add-on for Bananas outlines a risk mitigation plan for minimizing the spread of Foc TR4, and the add-on can be implemented and combined with Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) for fruit and vegetables.
Core topics in the TR4 Biosecurity Add-on for Bananas include:
Understanding the threat/Pathogen awareness
Training and awareness-raising activities
Farm management and risk assessment
People present on the farm and people in transit in the proximity of the farm
Waste, water, and soil management
Wildlife management and conservation plan
Tool, equipment, and machinery management
Natural disaster management plan
Planting material
Monitoring and identification of affected plants
Foc TR4 suppression plan (for farms where Foc TR4 is already present)
About version 2
Published in English on 27 August 2024, v2 of the add-on replaces v1 as of 27 February 2025.
To reflect terminology changes in the IFA standard, the standard content outlined in “control points and compliance criteria” are now referred to as “principles and criteria”. “Principles” are similar to the previous “control points” in that they are fundamentals that set the foundation of a requirement but are now written in statement form. The “criteria” offer direction to producers on what to consider when implementing a specific principle.
To the TR4 Biosecurity add-on webpage
https://www.globalgap.org/what-we-offer/solutions/tr4-biosecurity-add-on/
To the v2 principles and criteria
https://documents.globalgap.org/documents/240827_TR4_Biosecurity_add_on_P_Cs_v2_0_Aug24_en.pdf
To the v2 general rules
https://documents.globalgap.org/documents/240827_TR4_Biosecurity_add_on_GR_specs_v2_0_Aug24_en.pdf
