Comments for chrysanthemum white rust rulemaking extended

The Society of American Florists (SAF) announced in its Oct.12, 2012 “Washington in Review” e-newsletter that the deadline for comments on the “Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” for chrysanthemum white rust (CWR) has been extended to Nov. 1, 2012 at the organization’s request.

The APHIS is requesting comments on four different concepts:

Option No.1: Continue to manage CWR as a quarantine pest – no changes to the current program.

Option No.2: Designate CWR as a “Regulated Non-Quarantine Pest.” This would require regulation of propagation facilities inside the U.S., and those outside the U.S. wishing to export cuttings to the U.S. SAF says cut flowers would be deregulated with respect to CWR.

Option No.3: Allow individual states to establish “Official Control,” but otherwise deregulate CWR. This means that a state wishing to establish an official control program could do so.

Option No.4: Remove the CWR quarantine restrictions. This would apply to cuttings and cut flowers.

There is also an additional action being considered. The SAF says APHIS could choose one of the four options above, and also propose that chrysanthemums be added to the “Not Authorized Pending Pest Risk Analysis” (NAPPRA). Once a species on the NAPPRA list, it cannot enter the U.S. until APHIS has completed a pest risk analysis so that mitigations or some kind of certification program can be proposed. If mums are included on the NAPPRA list, current regulations would have to be changed to allow import of cuttings in commercial quantities.

Growers may read the full proposal here, and may submit comments here. To read SAF’s full Oct. 12 “Washington in Review” e-newsletter, click here.