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On May 13, USDA-APHIS proposed lifting the restrictions on the interstate movement of Berberis thunbergii varieties ‘Della’ and ‘O’ Byrne’ and Mahonia x media variety ‘Lionel Fortescue’. These three varieties were thoroughly evaluated by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service at the Cereal Disease Laboratory in St. Paul, MN and found to be resistant to Black Stem Rust (Puccinia graminis).

Filed under: disease • regulation • transportation • USDA

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ANLA and OFA, in collaboration with SAF are leading an effort to evaluate current U.S. plant propagation and production certification programs and work to develop a single voluntary system that provides greater domestic and international shipping flexibility and improves production efficiency, while reducing the spread of pests and diseases. To accomplish this, an industry based working group has been established to drive the process and develop a program that is flexible and scalable.

To get input and opinions from an audience broader than just the working group ANLA has worked with a market research company to develop a brief survey. Results of the survey will help guide us in this effort by identifying some of the challenges as well as useful incentives that could be incorporated in a voluntary plant production program.

Please click here to take this 5-10 minute survey and help us in this effort.

Filed under: regulation • disease • pest

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USDA-APHIS is accepting comments through September 4, 2012 regarding the content of their Pest Risk Assessment (PRA) of the genus Campanula. The assessment pertains only to Campanula plants that are at least 40-days old, being imported from Denmark, and grown in APHIS-approved growing media. It evaluates and scores the likelihood of quarantine pests associated with CampanulaCampanula plants take advantage of this opportunity to carefully evaluate the PRA and share your concerns (click here). Even minor changes to the potential pest scoring could significantly impact the resulting risk management strategies that APHIS will require.

Filed under: regulation • pest

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A well-intended but problematic plant inspection policy change has been put on hold.

While the Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has primary responsibility for inspecting cargo, passengers, ships, trains and planes entering the U.S. for plant and animal pests and diseases, USDA’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) inspects plants and plant propagative material, including things like unrooted cuttings. This work is done at 17 plant inspection stations in places like Miami, Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles. Historically, plant imports have been inspected at a low rate of about two percent.

A new sampling protocol started to take effect July 16, and immediately caused problems particularly at the plant inspection station adjacent to the Miami airport. What’s going on, and what might be done to alleviate the problems?  

Filed under: disease • regulation • pest

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Joe Bischoff, Marc Teffeau

The United States Nursery Certification Program (USNCP) was established as a pilot program in 2006 to help facilitate a more streamlined shipping process for U.S. nurseries exporting material to Canada. The voluntary program offered an alternative to the traditional endpoint inspection approach in that certified facilities follow a systems or integrated approach that uses various pest risk management measures throughout the plant production process. Rather than relying on an inspector to visit the site, inspect the plant material, and write a phytosanitary certificate, or “phyto,” USNCP participant nurseries can self-issue shipping documents.

The program offers greater flexibility in shipping, relieves participants of costs and delays associated with individual inspections, and the process encourages the production of...

Filed under: Farm Bill • disease • HRI • pest