2.6 Regulation of Interstate Movement of Nursery Stock
NASDA supports the needs of the nursery stock industry to move products freely between states, but believes that nursery stock must adhere to a long established reciprocity agreement of inspection/certification by the state of origin which is re-enforced by state and/or federal quarantine regulations.
While standardized procedures for the inspection/certification process may be appropriate, non-infested states must be protected from potential introductions for several reasons. First, introductions of pests could put valuable forest and agricultural resources and urban/suburban forested areas that contribute substantially to the economic/social welfare of the state at risk. Second, considerable resources have been invested by non-infested states to eradicate localized infestations and to establish surveys to detect, delimit infestations and monitor control treatments. Third, environmental degradation and public chaos resulting from infestations and pesticide treatments could result. Fourth, additional resources would be required to inspect high risk nursery stock imported to non-infested states at dealer locations that should be credibly inspected and certified at the grower location. Finally, trade agreements and markets for nursery, Christmas tree, and other regulated industries intending to export their crops or commodities could be hampered.