Management of Pest Risks Associated with Plants Imported into the United States for Planting
Yilmaz Balci: USDA, APHIS
<div>Each year millions of plants arrive into the United States for propagation as rooted or unrooted cuttings, bare root plants, plants in growing media, tissue culture plantlets, bulbs, or seeds. Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 319.37, addresses requirements and prohibitions for importing plants for planting. The Plants for Planting Manual (<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/online-manuals">https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/online-manuals</a>) provides the background and procedures for regulating the importation of prohibited plant taxa into the US. When market access is requested for propagation of a prohibited genus, a Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) is conducted by APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service). Decisions to allow or deny market access are informed by the findings of the PRA. Relevant information includes the quarantine status of pests of concern identified by the PRA, and whether the importation provides a pathway for the entry and establishment or spread of those pests. Each quarantine pest is assessed for its entry potential, its establishment potential, and the consequences of introduction. Using the findings of the PRA, a risk management strategy is developed, which will address mitigation measures required to prevent entry and establishment or spread of quarantine pests. In certain cases, small quantities of prohibited taxa may be imported for experimental, therapeutic or developmental purposes, under a controlled import permit.</div>
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