The U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is
amending its regulations to require that many imported garden
plants be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate to prevent
the introduction of potato brown rot into the United States.
The phytosanitary certificate must certify that all articles
of Pelargonium spp. (geraniums) and Solanum spp. (eggplants,
weeds such as nightshade, shrubs, vines, huckleberry plants and
other garden plants) are produced in a facility that has been
tested and found to be free of bacterial strains of Ralstonia
solanacearum race 3 biovar 2, which causes potato brown rot, or
that the disease is not known to occur in the articles' region
of origin. Those plants imported under the Canadian
greenhouse-grown restricted plant program are exempt from this
requirement.
Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 causes potato brown
rot. Because of the danger this strain of Ralstonia poses to
U.S. potatoes, it is listed in USDA regulations as an agent
capable of posing a severe threat to plant health or plant
products. Accordingly, the possession, use and transfer of this
strain of Ralstonia is subject to restrictions. If it were to
become established in the United States, it would likely have a
devastating impact on potato production.
Potato brown rot destroys potato crops and is extremely
difficult to eradicate, both because of its many alternate hosts
and because of its ability to survive in water. Under these
circumstances USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
has determined that there is good cause for publishing this
interim rule without prior opportunity for public comment.
This interim rule is published in the May 23 Federal Register
and was effective May 16. APHIS documents published in the
Federal Register, and related information, including the names
of organizations and individuals who have commented on APHIS
dockets, are available on the Internet at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before
July 22. Comments may be submitted by postal mail, commercial
delivery or by e-mail.
