When importing propagative materials, such as live plants and cuttings, every minute counts. Any delay at the port of entry could significantly impact their quality and cause significant economic loss to the nursery industry.
For the last 3 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Program has worked with the U.S. nursery industry to design, test, and now implement a program that will effectively minimize pest risks in live plant cuttings and expedite their clearance at U.S. ports of entry. It’s called the Offshore Greenhouse Certification Program.
According to Karelyn Cruz, Offshore Certification Specialist with PPQ’s Preclearance and Offshore Programs, this program will help speed U.S. producers’ access to the diverse varieties of healthy plants they need to be competitive in the global marketplace while protecting our country against the entry of harmful plant pests.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: USDA APHIS
