Turnabout

This may not have been what the Good Book had in mind with the verse, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Don Schrack of The Packer is doing a story this week about continued "issues" between Florida and California citrus leaders. The letter below explains itself, but watch for Don's story for the latest from industry leaders:

STATE OF CALIFORNIA PHYTOSANITARY ADVISORY
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE NO. 32-2007
1220 N Street, Room A-372
Sacramento, CA 95814
DATE: November 2, 2007
TO: All County Agricultural Commissioners
FILE: Summary of State Regulations – Florida
SUBJECT: Florida Requirements for Certification of California Citrus Fruits

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has informed us that, effective December 1, 2007, all shipments of citrus fruit from California to Florida must be certified free of Septioria citri, a fungal pathogen that can occur on damaged fruit surfaces. Inspection, treatment, testing, and certification procedures are outlined in the attachment which was provided by FDACS. The FDACS informed us that these procedures are a result of the requirements established by South Korea for the importation of citrus fruit from California. According to FDACS, Septoria citrii is not known to occur in Florida, and at this time, FDACS does not have data supporting that this pathogen occurs anywhere else in the United States except California. FDACS indicates in the attachment that California shippers may enter into compliance agreement with the county agricultural commissioner to follow the outlined certification procedures. Growers under compliance will be listed on an “Approved Citrus Shippers” list sent from CDFA to FDACS on an as needed basis. Growers that do not enter a compliance agreement and that do not appear on the “approved” list must use a stamp or sticker on the outside of each box, designed as in the attachment, to indicate to officials in Florida that the certification procedures were met.


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October 31, 2007
Under authority of Section 581.031(7), Florida Statues, Rule Chapter 5B-3.0038 F.A.C., the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has declared a quarantine on citrus fruit from California and other areas of the country where Septoria citri is known to occur. The State of Florida will authorize firms to ship into Florida citrus fruit, which were grown in California, and which otherwise would be prohibited entry into Florida, under the following conditions: CDFA should ensure:
1. Prior to commencement of shipping, this office is provided with the names and addresses of
approved shippers.
2. Shippers may only be approved if under a compliance agreement (approved by FDACS) with CDFA to ship only citrus fruit that have been authorized.
3. Fruit shipped must come from a grove that has been inspected by CDFA inspectors within 30 days of harvest and found free of Septoria citri.
OR Latency testing for all counties in California as outline below:
• Only symptomatic fruit will be sampled
• Fruit harvested from a grower lot can be shipped within 45 days from the lab result date.
Samples must be taken 20 to 30 days prior to harvest
• 20 fruit sampled from each grower lot intended for shipment to Florida
• Incubation procedure of up to 7 days using isolated lesion will be used in conducting the
tests
• CDFA will supply FDACS weekly with the grower lots tested positive for Septoria citri
• CDFA will provide at any time during the season testing results of grower lots tested
4. Citrus fruit must undergo post-harvest treatment with an FDACS approved fungicide prior to shipping.
5. CDFA shall closely supervise shippers to ensure that only symptom-free fruit is shipped to
Florida. Supervision shall include regular on-site inspections and review of all citrus receipts and shipment records.
6. All citrus fruit shipped from California to Florida shall be certified as in compliance with 7 CFR 301.78, Subpart-Mediterranean Fruit Fly.
7. In addition to any certificate required by federal regulation, shipping invoices and each container or box shipped must be stamped with a certificate authorized by CDFA affirming that the shipment meets the entry requirements of Florida’s Septoria citri quarantine. In lieu of a paper certificate, a sticker or stamp-type certificate may be used with the following format: The citrus fruit in this shipment meets all Florida entry requirements for Septoria citri and has been inspected and found apparently free of Septoria citri.
(signature)
Authorized Representative
8. Citrus fruit shipped to Florida form California under these guidelines may be inspected, sampled, and tested upon arrival.
9. Violation of any of the conditions or the detection of any serious plant pest in any shipment shall be sufficient cause for immediate suspension from shipping.