As we reported in March, AmericanHort and the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) continue to actively collaborate with federal and state regulators who are working to establish a new certification program to facilitate the safe interstate movement of boxwoods. USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) leadership is expected to review and approve the certification framework in early March. Meanwhile, the National Plant Board is vetting the framework with state regulatory officials, who will play a key role in implementing program components, including compliance agreements with affected producers.
At our Segment Community Meetings in late March, AmericanHort provided an update and the draft language for the Compliance Agreement. We contacted the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development and they confirmed that they were preparing for the Compliance Agreement by updating the Box Tree Moth Quarantine. Any firm that enters into this Compliance Agreement will be able to ship Boxwood plants out of the quarantined areas. We’ll continue to encourage MDARD to move quickly on this to allow adoption by our members as soon as it is approved.