Phytophthora ramorum prenotification requirements ease

P. ramorum on rhododendron (Photo by Oregon Department of Agriculture)

From ANLA's Knowledge Center:

USDA-APHIS announced that effective immediately only operations that are in the following circumstances and ship high risk plant material for Phytophthora ramorum (P. ram.) — defined as Camellia, Kalmia, Pieris, Rhododendron (including Azalea), or Viburnum —to non-regulated states must continue to provide prenotification to the receiving state officials:
 

• Growers in the following California counties (under P. ram. quarantine) — Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma counties.
• Growers Curry County, Oregon (under P. ram. quarantine) — Curry County.
• Growers in regulated areas that have had a positive detection of P. ram on their operation within the last three years.

This move relieves growers in regulated areas of California, Oregon, and Washington of the burden of prenotification if:

• The disease has never been confirmed from their operation
OR
• The operation has been shown to be free of P. ram. for a minimum of three years.

P. ram. has not been found in the environment in regulated areas. In addition, the agency determined that this new policy would allow state and federal regulators to more efficiently dedicate resources to areas of perceived higher risk (i.e., quarantine areas).

For the full Federal Order (DA-2012-53) click here.