The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has expanded the Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) federal quarantines to include all counties in Delaware and Erie County in Pennsylvania. Ohioans should note the proximity of BTM to Green Industry interests in the northeast part of the state.
Quoting from the press release sent on 12-4-2024:
“Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), is adding the entire State of Delaware and Erie County, Pennsylvania to the box tree moth (BTM; Cydalima perspectalis) quarantined area.”
“APHIS is taking this action in response to the confirmed detections of BTM in a residence in Little Creek, Delaware, on July 11 and in Lakeside Cemetery in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania, on August 29. PDA has established intrastate quarantine areas for BTM that parallel the Federal quarantine. This Federal Order supersedes Federal Order DA-2024-17.”
“To prevent the spread of BTM, APHIS considers it necessary to regulate the interstate movement of regulated articles of boxwood from quarantined areas. Boxwood plants may only be moved interstate from a quarantined area from an establishment operating under a compliance agreement, and only if accompanied by a certificate issued by a state agricultural authority certifying that the requirements of this Federal Order and the compliance agreement have been met. These requirements will prevent producers and distributors of boxwood from moving infested plants interstate. State agricultural authorities may prescribe additional safeguards and protocols.”
“APHIS prohibits movement of all other regulated articles of boxwood, including plant parts, pieces, cuttings, clippings, debris, and any portion of the plant, alive or dead, except for decorative purposes.”
To learn more, visit the USDA APHIS PPQ Box Tree Moth website at:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-pests-diseases/box-tree-moth
EDUCATIONAL UPDATE OPPORTUNITY
Boxwoods will be highlighted in 3 presentations next week on Tuesday, December 10, at the OTF Conference and Show held in the Columbus Convention Center. The presentations are in the “Short Course and Landscape Track” with the first being by Franchesca Hand (OSU Plant Pathology) covering “Emerging Diseases: Boxwood Diseases and Management” at 11:00 am.
BTM will be the subject of two presentations, Part 1 at 12:00 pm., and Part 2 at 1:00 pm., by Dan Kenny (Ohio Department of Agriculture), Bennett Saunders (Saunder Brothers Inc.), and Joe Boggs (OSU Extension/OSU Entomology). The trio will cover BTM basics including detection and management, regulatory actions including the BTM Compliance Agreement, and the industry's response to BTM including possible plant resistance.
To register for the OTF Conference and Show, click this hotlink:
https://ohioturfgrass.org/event/24CSAttendee
