Updated guidelines from USDA APHIS PPQ related to inspection seed lots destined for export for soil go into effect March 4, 2019. Submitted samples from seed lots destined for counties that prohibit soil or are “silent” on soil will no longer pass the ODA Pest and Disease (P&D) or P&D plus soil inspections if any soil is found during visual inspection. This is in accordance with the USDA Export Program Manual. If a country specifies a soil tolerance, samples will be held to that standard. These standards apply to any organization that offers visual phytosanitary inspections for seed, not just the ODA Plant Health Laboratory.
The attached letter from the Oregon Department of Agriculture Seed Program outlines those changes in full and their impacts on the services they offer to the seed industry. These changes to the services offered at ODA are a result of USDA APHIS PPQ updates and are made to stay in compliance with their guidelines related to visual inspections and the issuance of phytosanitary certificates. These changes affect any organization that offers visual inspections for phytosanitary certificates.
Also attached is a presentation from ODA on the impacts of these new guidelines.
OSA is reviewing this issue closely and drafting a letter to USDA to explain the impact to our members as well as the failure to notify dealers in a timely manner.
If you have questions or comments for ODA, contact Elizabeth Savory at esavory@oda.state.or.us, or by phone at (503) 986-4570 (office), (503) 881-0889 (cell)
If you have any input for the letter to USDA, contact Angie Smith at smith@pacwestcom.com, or by phone at (503) 685-7555.
