The 2025–26 BMSB Season: Everything Australian Importers Need to Know
If you’re an importer bringing goods into Australia between September and April, you’ve no doubt heard of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) and the headaches it can cause. These tiny pests might look harmless, but they’re a serious threat to agriculture, and the biosecurity measures in place to stop them can cause major delays if you’re not prepared.
At Dyson Logistics, we help our clients navigate these seasonal measures every year. Here’s our 2025–26 guide so you can keep your cargo moving and avoid costly surprises.
When Does the BMSB Season Apply?
The BMSB risk season runs from 1 September 2025 to 30 April 2026. Importantly, it’s the “shipped on board” date from your Bill of Lading that counts, not the date it arrives or leaves the warehouse. If your shipment is loaded during that window and comes from a risk country, the seasonal measures will apply.
Which Countries Are on the Risk List?
Each year, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) reviews where stink bugs are most active. This year, the target-risk list includes most of Europe, North America, and parts of Asia as well as places like the USA, Canada, Italy, Germany, France, Turkey, and Japan.
A full list can be found at Seasonal measures for Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) – DAFF.
We also have emerging-risk countries that are not yet in the mandatory treatment category, but they’re still watched closely. For 2025–26, that includes the United Kingdom, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea. Goods from these countries won’t automatically need treatment, but they can be pulled aside for random inspections at the border.
What Types of Goods Are Affected?
The rules don’t apply to every product—but they do apply to a wide range of manufactured goods.
Target high-risk goods must be treated before they can enter Australia. These include:
| HS Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 44 | Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal |
| 45 | Cork and articles of cork |
| 57 | Carpets and other textile floor coverings |
| 68 | Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials |
| 69 | Ceramic products – including sub chapters I and II |
| 70 | Glass and glass ware |
| 72 | Iron and steel – including sub chapters I, II, III, IV |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel |
| 74 | Copper and articles thereof |
| 75 | Nickel and articles thereof |
| 76 | Aluminium and articles thereof |
| 78 | Lead and articles thereof |
| 79 | Zinc and articles thereof |
| 80 | Tin and articles thereof |
| 81 | Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof |
| 82 | Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metals |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof |
| 85 | Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles |
| 86 | Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings and parts thereof; mechanical (including electro-mechanical) traffic signalling equipment of all kinds |
| 87 | Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock, and parts and accessories thereof |
| 88 | Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof |
| 89 | Ships, boats and floating structures |
Target-risk goods – things like certain chemicals, plastics, paper products, and textiles, don’t require mandatory treatment, but they’re still subject to random inspections. These include:
| HS Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 27 | Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes |
| 28 | Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, rare-earth metals, radioactive elements or isotopes |
| 29 | Organic chemicals |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof |
| 48 | Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic material; waste and scrap of paper or paperboard; paper and paperboard and articles thereof |
| 49 | Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans |
| 56 | Wadding, felt and nonwovens; special yarns; twine, cordage, ropes and cables and articles thereof |
| 94 | Furniture; bedding, mattresses, mattress supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings; lamps and lighting fittings, not elsewhere specified or included; illuminated signs, illuminated name-plates and the like; prefabricated buildings |
| 95 | Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof |
One crucial catch: if you’re shipping mixed cargo, and any part of it is classed as high-risk or risk, the entire container will be treated as such.
How Do You Treat Goods?
There are a few DAFF-approved ways to treat BMSB risk goods:
- Heat treatment
- Methyl bromide fumigation
- Sulfuryl fluoride fumigation
- Ethyl formate + CO₂ (this new option starts 1 September 2025 and is offshore only)
Treatments must be carried out by a DAFF-approved offshore provider under the AusTreat program. Using an unapproved or suspended provider will lead to your cargo being rejected, sent for onshore treatment (at your expense), or even shipped back to origin.
Break-Bulk, Containers, and What’s Allowed
If your high-risk goods are shipped as break-bulk cargo, like on flat racks or open-top containers, they must be treated offshore. Onshore treatment isn’t allowed for these loads, and untreated cargo will be turned away.
If your goods are in sealed, six-sided containers (FCL, FCX, LCL), you can choose between offshore or onshore treatment, but you can’t open or de-consolidate the load before treatment is done.,
The Safeguarding Arrangements Scheme
For some importers, the Safeguarding Scheme offers a way to bypass mandatory treatment altogether. This program is for sealed, hard-sided containers that are packed and handled under strict conditions that prevent stink bug contamination.
For the 2025–26 season, applications open on 28 July 2025 and close on 30 January 2026. You’ll need to provide a mitigation plan, contingency plan, and importer declarations for every shipment. Even under this scheme, DAFF can still do random inspections, so it’s not a free pass, but it can speed things up significantly if you qualify.
To check if you’re eligible for the Scheme, visit to Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website or contact us to discuss.
What Happens If You Don’t Comply With the BMSB Measures?
Ignoring or misunderstanding the BMSB requirements can quickly turn a smooth shipment into a costly headache. At the very least, non-compliance will mean delays and extra expenses. Your cargo may be held for onshore fumigation by an approved provider, at your expense, while racking up storage fees and potentially sitting idle for days, if not weeks.
The risks don’t stop there. Depending on the circumstances, goods can be refused entry, re-exported to origin, or even destroyed to protect Australia’s biosecurity.
That’s why it’s essential to have experienced professionals assess your cargo before shipping. At Dyson Logistics, we review your documentation, origin details, and HS codes, and we coordinate with DAFF-approved treatment providers—helping you avoid compliance pitfalls before they become costly problems.
How Dyson Logistics Keeps You Moving
BMSB season doesn’t have to be stressful—if you’re prepared. We help our clients by:
- Auditing their HS codes and country of origin to determine which rules apply
- Booking treatments with trusted, approved providers
- Checking documentation before shipping to avoid rejections at the border
- Coordinating with unpack locations that meet DAFF’s Approved Arrangement requirements
- Keeping you up-to-date if DAFF changes the risk list mid-season
Speak to one of our team today on (02) 8339 1844 or send us a message via the contacts page.
