Update on sudden oak death (SOD)

BCLNA continues to work cooperatively with the CFIA in their public recall of camellia plants. Public response to the initial press releases was very positive, and almost one half of the outstanding 1500 plants have been located. A few small glitches in the pick-up strategy have since been resolved, and the rate of pick-ups per day has improved considerably. Further paid advertising in the daily press will be used in an attempt to locate the balance of potentially infected plants. Funding for this initiative will be equally split by CFIA and industry. Although the charges levied to industry are voluntary, it is generally agreed that the role played by BCLNA was a key factor in lessening the impact and overall costs to the retail sector. Happily, excellent weather conditions for eight consecutive weekends means that retailers in BC are experiencing a banner sales year. Noted one retailer that had been affected by a SOD quarantine, “If there was a year for a SOD outbreak to impact retail garden centres, this was it.”
     At the same time, an industry and government working group from BC, Washington and Oregon have met to discuss SOD certification strategies. It has become very apparent that SOD certification is impractical if not impossible at the garden centre level. Instead, a process will be developed for the wholesale nursery sector and retail garden centres will be encouraged to buy plants and especially host varieties, from certified suppliers. Further details on this program will be provided to the grower industry through the Grower’s E-mail Updates.
     Importers are urged to check the CFIA website regularly, as ongoing changes to the host list and other quarantine-related regulations will affect imports of incoming materials.