Welcome to Module 5
A NOTE ABOUT TERMINOLOGY
There is often much confusion surrounding the terms risk analysis and risk assessment. Unfortunately, even in the scientific literature the terms are not always used consistently—particularly across different fields of research. In some cases, the terms may even be used interchangeably.
However, in the phytosanitary world, there is a general consensus that pest risk analysis (PRA) and pest risk assessment are two different things, with pest risk assessment being just one of three components of the PRA process you learned about previously.
Additionally, to add to the confusion, the abbreviation PRA is sometimes (incorrectly) used for both pest risk analysis and pest risk assessment. However, in the context of the IPPC, PRA typically refers to the overarching process of pest risk analysis.
Therefore, please make special note that in this module the abbreviation PRA always refers to pest risk analysis, and never to pest risk assessment.
Wayne Burnett
Supervisory Agriculturist (Retired), USDA, APHIS
Wayne Burnett retired from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) after 31 years of service. He is now an independent phytosanitary consultant.
Wayne served as the APHIS Director of Fruit Fly Programs and the Director of the Emergency Management programs. As Fruit Fly Program Director, he provided leadership for programs in both the United States and Mexico. He led several APHIS fruit fly programs and sterile fruit fly production and release facilities in the United States. Wayne also provided surveillance support for Mexico and Guatemala, as well as leadership for regulation and control of exotic fruit flies in these countries. As Director of Emergency Management, he provided leadership for plant pest and disease management of new exotic plant pest and disease detections in the United States.
Wayne’s fields of expertise include evaluating phytosanitary legislation and initiating regulations, evaluating pest risk and control measures, the use of sterile insect technique (SIT) in the control of exotic fruit flies, development of an international phytosanitary framework including phytosanitary strategic planning, phytosanitary export/import certification systems, and pest risk analysis.
Wayne has represented the United States on various international phytosanitary standard setting committees. His APHIS field and operational experiences include leading domestic pest surveillance and control programs and work on agricultural quarantine inspection programs at various international points of entry into the United States.
Wayne Burnett holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of New Hampshire with majors in Zoology and Botany, with graduate studies completed at the University of West Florida in Biology.
PERAL
Raleigh, North Carolina
The implementation of the World Trade Organization Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures in 1995 established the central role of pest risk analysis (PRA) as the primary basis for phytosanitary decision-making. The United States and all WTO member countries invest considerable resources and effort in establishing appropriate PRA systems, including the training of scientific staff and the development of methodologies. APHIS-PPQ has established itself as a clear leader in PRA, with one of the largest and most advanced risk analysis groups in the world: the Plant Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Laboratory (PERAL), located within PPQ’s Center for Plant Health Science and Technology in Raleigh, North Carolina. The mission of PERAL is to provide science-based analyses across a broad range of phytosanitary issues to support policymaking decisions and safeguarding in APHIS-PPQ. We would like to acknowledge the contributions of PERAL risk analysts in developing and reviewing these Modules.
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