Free trade, fair trade, safe trade: The role of plant pathology in filling regulatory gaps
W. GUTIERREZ (1). (1) USDA, APHIS, PPQ, Center for Plant Health Science and Technology, Raleigh, NC, U.S.A.
The globalization of agricultural markets and the increasing volume and speed of trade increase the potential for the introduction and spread of harmful organisms. The cryptic nature of many pathogens and the challenges associated with detecting them in either trade or the environment, combined with large information gaps associated with the biology, behavior, and identification of pathogens create significant challenges for regulators trying to formulate appropriate policies for safe trade. The World Trade Organization Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and the International Plant Protection Convention form a harmonized international framework which disciplines regulatory decisions with an evidence-based approach. This emphasis on science creates both opportunities and threats which plant pathologists need to understand and navigate in order to fill regulatory gaps and avoid having unintended effects on trade, protection, politics, or science.
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