Transcript DUELING SCIENCE WITH STAKEHOLDERS

DUELING SCIENCE
WITH STAKEHOLDERS
Quarantine and Market Access
Conference 2003
Dennis Hannapel
APHIS Area Director-Oceania
US Embassy
Canberra, Australia
Dueling Science?
Who is a Stakeholder?
Stakeholder Tactics
Risk Assessment or Analysis
Scientific Publications
Data
Public Awareness Campaigns
Political Intervention
Risk Assessments
Used by government regulatory bodies
Resource intensive
Technically accurate? (pest lists)
Legally and politically correct
Loss of emphasis
Critiqued by industry and the public
Scientific Publications
Peer-reviewed, published in reputable
journal
Abstract-Introduction-Materials and
Methods-Results and DiscussionsConclusion
Scientific Duel
Specific Conclusions
Prove a “Negative”
Data
Counting and recording events
Trap results, field surveys, pest
interceptions, & diseased animals
Non-scientific?
Rarely stands alone
Public Awareness
Campaigns
Propaganda
Industry driven-market competition
Selective information
Media coverage and emotional
Political Intervention
Does exist!
Politicians sensitive to constituents
Non-scientific reality
EXAMPLES
New Zealand Apples
New Zealand Apples
into Australia
Fire blight transmitted on mature,
commercially produced apples?
IRA still pending
US and Japan-WTO dispute resolution
Public perception of fire blight
Outcome?
Stakeholder Influences
IRA-intensely scrutinized by the public
and industry, and RAP continues
Scientific Publications
Ample materials-dueling
 Specific conclusions-Japan/US study
 WTO decision

Influences (continued)
Data – Not much
Negative field surveys
 Never been introduced on apples

Public awareness Campaigns
No risk is acceptable
 Imports are bad for economy

Political Intervention
California Table Grapes to Australia
California Table Grapes
to Australia
Grape bunches are the introduction
pathway for the glassy winged
sharpshooter?
Pierce’s Disease could be so
catastrophic to the Australian table
grape and wine industry that no risk is
acceptable.
Stakeholder InfluencesCA Grapes
IRA-heavily critiqued, new information
became available – GWSS
Scientific Publications
Scientific duel
 Specific conclusions or prove a “negative”

Data
Never found in grape bunches
 Unacceptable

CA Grapes (Continued)
Public Awareness Campaigns
Possibility of GWSS in grape bunches
 No risk is acceptable

Political Intervention
WTO dispute resolution
 Free Trade Agreement

Conclusions
Decision makers may be over
influenced by the stakeholders
Science on both sides of every issue
Manageable risks are international norm
Political Intervention new driving force
THE END