Hillier Nurseries Biosecurity Policy

Hillier Nurseries recognises the risk posed to UK Horticulture, gardens and the Environment from imported plant pest and disease. We are committed to helping define the standards set out across our industry to ensure all nurseries adhere to the highest standards at all times to protect our environment.

 We acknowledge our responsibility to act in a responsible manner to minimise the risk posed by ourselves and our supply chain. 

 To this end we follow the following steps: 

• Hillier have an internal ‘Plant Health Assurance’ process to ensure ‘good practice’ in our purchasing, growing processes with full documentation and record keeping.
• Hillier are accredited with the Plant Healthy accreditation, holders of the Woodland Trust UK and Ireland Sown and Grown (UKISG), as well as the ISO 14001 Environmental management accreditation. 
• Hillier comply with all government regulations and legislation to ensure that plant health remains at the highest of standards and the risk of disease entering the UK is controlled and minimised.
• Hillier do not import any high risk Xylella Genus and will not import plants of any Genus from designated outbreak areas (as listed on DEFRA Plant Health Portal) In accordance with HTA guidance.
• Hillier operate a zero tolerance policy for notifiable Pest, Disease and Weed on all imported stock.
• Through consultants, trade bodies and ‘plant health portal’ we remain up to date with plant health developments with a nominated member of staff responsible for this.
• Hillier and its suppliers are all plant passported in accordance with current legislation.
• Plants are only purchased from approved suppliers who share our values and have been audited demonstrating best practice regarding plant health.
• We practice high levels of nursery hygiene, maintaining crop inspection and husbandry records.
• On receipt plants are inspected by nominated, trained staff in accordance with our goods in procedure. Inspection reports are kept on all ‘goods in’.
• Staff are trained thoroughly to recognise and report pest and disease.
• We work closely with our local plant health inspectorate to keep the nursery clean.
• We ensure that all areas of our business and supply chain adhere to our policy regarding plant health and the environment.
• Visitors and customers park in a designated area, sign in and out and are accompanied by a member of staff at all times on the site.

We believe that these steps minimise to the best of our ability the risk carried by our plants.