Re: Proposed USDA rule on m
Kathy Brunetti (brunetti@empm.cdpr.ca.gov)
Thu, 9 Mar 1995 08:40:28 -0800
>I have been a bit confused by this discussion. Doesn't APHIS already
>regulate the movement of these organisms? How exactly does this
>regulation differ from what is presently on the books. I remember
>talking to someone at the Phillip Alampi Beneficial Insect Rearing Lab in
>New Jersey (which is either a State or Federal Lab, or both?) a couple
>years ago about all the quarantines, research and tight controls that they
>had to go through before they could import a foreign species such as a
>parasitic wasp for potential use as a biocontrol--to prevent (or at least
>make it less likely) that it
>would become another gypsy moth or chesnut blight, etc. problem. I agree
>that we need to be cautious in this area, but it seems that USDA has
>already been addressing this with present regulations. Maybe I missed a
>past posting (I admit that I don't ready everything that comes through),
>but has someone printed the text of the regulation and/or an explanation
>of why USDA finds it necessary, and how it differs from present regs.
>
According to the USDA Background statement: "The scope of the [existing]
plant pest regulations is limited to the movement of known plant pests; the
movement of nonindigenous organisms not known to present a plant pest risk,
as well as the release of such organisms into the environment are not
addressed...we believe that APHIS must supplement its current regulations
to prevent or minimize the potential problems presented by the introduciotn
of nonindiigenous organsm whose plant pest status is unknown."
At the March 7 hearng in Sacramento, several people testified that, since
these rules are to prevent problems with plant pests, it seems unclear why
the rule applies to the use of commercially available beneficial organisms,
commercially available compost and USEPA-registered microbial pesticides.
Kathy Brunetti, Agriculture Program Supervisor
Department of Pesticide Regulation 1020 N Street Room 161 Sacramento CA 95814
voice (916) 324-4100 FAX (916) 324-4088 brunetti@empm.cdpr.ca.gov