APHIS Adds All Cut Flowers & Greens to Exempted Host List for Light Brown Apple Moth in California

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2016-66
November 4, 2016

Subject: APHIS Adds All Cut Flowers and Greens to the Exempted Host List for the Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) in California

To: State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is extending the exemption of select cut flowers and succulents to include all commercially produced cut flowers and greens for the light brown apple moth (LBAM) exempted host list. The exempted host list is posted at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/lbam and is included as an attachment to this letter.

“Exempt host commodities” are exempt from the conditions required in the LBAM Federal Domestic Quarantine Order for interstate movement of regulated articles. The exemption is applicable only to commercially-produced commodities based on the pest mitigations provided through industry standards of production, harvesting, and packaging practices for each of the exempted commodities. Commodities that are not produced using these industry practices remain subject to the program requirements for interstate movement. New commodities added to the list are in bold font.

APHIS, in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and local county agricultural commissioners, maintains its survey and regulatory framework to prevent the artificial spread of LBAM to other states or trading partners.

LBAM is native to Australia and has established populations in New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Hawaii. The host range for LBAM is broad and includes more than 250 plant species.

A map of the federal quarantine area is at:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/lbam_maps

For further information about the LBAM program, you may contact National Policy Manager Richard Johnson at 301-851-2109.

 

Osama El-Lissy
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine

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