News

Senate bill would enhance pest prevention
U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Daniel Akaka (D-HI) have introduced S. 1673, the Safeguarding American Agriculture Act of 2011, to enhance agricultural import and entry inspections at ports of entry across the nation.

The legislation would elevate the agriculture mission within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It's designed to enhance agricultural inspection operations at U.S. ports of entry and protect the borders from the potential introduction of plant and animal pest and diseases.

Photo courtesy of Kenneth R. Law, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org

In a released statement, Sen. Feinstein said, "In recent years California has experienced outbreaks of Asian citrus psyllid and European grapevine moth, which have damaged orange groves and vineyards. Other global pests including the Mediterranean, Mexican and Caribbean fruit flies, the French tamarisk and the Asian longhorned beetle are believed to have made their way into California through our ports of entry.

"Agriculture inspectors at our borders must have the tools, resources and access they need to defend our agricultural industry from the potentially catastrophic losses associated when these invasive pests and diseases enter our country."
 

News Notes

GIE Media awarding a pair of horticulture scholarships
Nursery Management magazine, along with the rest of the GIE Media Horticulture Group, is seeking applications for its scholarship program for students studying environmental horticulture and structural pest management.

"Students at the top horticulture programs in the United States are the future of the green industry," said Richard Foster, CEO and founder of GIE Media.

"Our contributions – and those from companies and suppliers across the industry – will help support the academic and business education of these students and ensure their continued success."

GIE Media is offering two, $5,000 awards for the fall of 2012. Both are cash awards for demonstration of outstanding academic performance and leadership.

To be eligible, students must be enrolled at a recognized two-or four-year college or university working toward a degree in horticulture, environmental science or other field related to a segment of the green industry.

Applications are here:
http://www.nurserymanagementonline.com/FileUploads/file/LLM_new%20 Scholarship-form.pdf.

Applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2012.

Thousand cankers website launched
Purdue University researchers have helped develop a website (www.thousandcankers.com) aimed at educating landowners and foresters about a fatal fungal disease that threatens black walnut trees. The website will share developments, such as new sightings or research.

Foresters believe the disease could cause millions of dollars in economic damage if it reaches Indiana, which has about $1.7 billion worth of the hardwood species.

Thousand cankers disease, which cannot be treated, had been confirmed in nine western states during the last 10 years. But it has been spotted in Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Virginia since 2010.

"The cankers are typically very small and easy to miss, but if enough beetles attack a tree, the cankers can become so numerous that nutrient transport throughout the tree is completely inhibited, causing it to die," said Justin Arseneault, Purdue University forester in the Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center.