August 6, 2002, SUDDEN OAK DEATH BULLETIN
· Canadian Directive still being translated and is expected to be available by the end of August
· If European certification scheme works and they are comfortable adding plants that Canada requires, movement from Holland could soon be under way.
· Movement between the European partner countries regulates only Viburnum and Rhododendron but Canada has a longer list.
· Holland doing a lot of research to find if there are one or more strains – Europe concurs. If so, this could reduce the number of hosts designated by CFIA.
· Sexual stages of the organism have not yet been observed in the labs
· The Dutch are working closely with California in the research of the pest
· Canadian surveys are on-going; sample materials are coming into the labs; most nurseries have been surveyed, 85 – 90%; 50 – 60% of the way through the samples; zero positives so far and hopefully all will be the same
· Most surveys in all but BC are nursery surveys. In BC they are conducting urban surveys as well due to the proximity of California
· In Europe, there is an existing Certification Program for all nursery stock that includes many pests, covering exports to the European country partners. Looking at establishing SOD as a quarantine pest. Once established, verification and shipment to Euro partners for Viburnum and Rhododendron will be established. To meet Canadian requirements, this would have to be widened to cover the longer list of hosts. It is doable for Europe.
· Last meeting CFIA had sent a letter to Europe requesting elaboration on their movement restrictions and the results of their surveys. Indications are that they would require an overall survey of member export countries to complete SOD surveys, with the focus to be on nursery stock
· Positives have been found in Germany, Holland and the UK. 90 nurseries found infected in the UK.
· CFIA working with Netherlands who developed a good protocol system, which covers all genera and this is at the sign-off stage.
· Shane negotiated a certification option with California
The web site below is to the UK forestry site, which provides a lot of information on the UK SOD.
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/oldsite.nsf/ByUnique/WCAS-4Z5JLL
On this site go through the HMSO link on the right side of the page. Do a search for “Sudden Oak Death” on her Majesty’s Stationary Office site and it will bring up the pertinent legislation in the UK pertaining to SOD.
Sudden Oak Death (SODS) BULLETIN UPDATE, June 2002
· Certification schemes being developed in California. These to be
based on “pest free counties” and “not known to be infested”
· Next step is certification in counties known to be infested.
· Holland, Europe working together to develop certification programs for
pest free areas
· Canadian surveys underway
· CFIA performing training session in Ontario, BC and Quebec
· Draft compliance agreement from California received and CFIA is
reviewing it, includes movement from infested to non-infested
· There will be routine inspections of product sites that are free
within a couple of weeks
· US States are cooperating in cost sharing of surveys
· It is felt that movement of infested nursery stock has not spread the
disease as nursery growers would have seen the signs.
· CFIA has written to the EU requesting elaboration on their movement
restrictions and results of their surveys of all of Europe, including
movement from country to country.
· Pest really established in urban landscape in California and this will
be basis of CFIA surveys in Canada
· In Netherlands, it is primarily in nurseries – different dynamics in
each country.
· Potential is greater that we might have it here in Canada – surveys
will provide that data – hope is that it has not crossed the border
