In search of Sleepy, Grumpy, Happy, Dopey, Smiley, Doc and Sneezy

Importing Roses under the USDA’s Postentry Quarantine Program

by Cliff Orent
ARS Consulting Rosarian

Now that I’ve hopefully captured your attention with the title of this article, I should confess that the completion of my “Seven Dwarfs” polyantha series (DeRuiter, Netherlands, 1950s) wasn’t uppermost in my mind when I first decided to apply to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a permit to import roses under their Postentry Quarantine Program. However, I have recently been successful in locating and importing those little men I’d not been able to acquire in North America and am delighted to report that the seven dwarfs are nearly together in my garden, separated only by the ten feet required during the mandatory two-year quarantine period. When the quarantine period is over, they’ll be reunited in a special corner of the garden, along with ? you guessed it ? Snow White (Polyantha, Grootendorst, Netherlands, 1946).

Whether you’re searching for one special species rose to be used in your hybridizing efforts, or not content to limit your chase of the latest and greatest exhibition roses to those available from North American suppliers, in order to import roses into the United States (other than from Canada, from which roses may be imported without resort to the Postentry Quarantine Program), the first thing you’ll need to do is to apply for an import permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA requires permits for the importation of any restricted plant article listed in Part 319.37-7, and plants must be grown under postentry quarantine conditions under the authority of 7 CFR 319.37. Although the procedure may appear somewhat daunting at first glance, it’s actually quite straightforward, and I’ve found that once you know how to navigate the process, the permit can be obtained fairly quickly and the inspectors, at least those with whom I’ve dealt, are extremely supportive in assisting you through the importation process.

So where do you begin? A good place to start is by going to the USDA’s Agriculture Permits Postentry Quarantine Plant Material web page, located at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/permits/plantproducts/postentry.html. Here you’ll find an overview of the program, frequently asked questions, and information for obtaining the necessary application form (PPQ Form 546) as well as instructions for submitting the form to the state regulatory official in the state where the roses will be grown. State inspectors assist the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture in carrying out inspections under the program, and once you’ve received roses subject to quarantine, you are subject to spot inspections to ensure compliance with the quarantine rules. A telephone number (1-877-770-5990) is provided for further information.

In completing the application to import roses, you’re basically entering into an agreement with the USDA that you will comply with the rules of the program. These rules, as they apply to roses, are few and are basic:

The choice of quarantine area became far more difficult six months later when the number of roses imported under the program had multiplied several fold. The driveway provided a natural break between the quarantined roses and other plants.

• all plant material will be grown on the premises specified in the application under your supervision and control and will not be moved or distributed without prior written permission
• state or federal officials will be granted access to the premises during regular business hours
• there will be no increase of these plants by cuttings, grafting, suckers, flowers, seeds or air layers, no distribution of the plants, and no cutting of flowers for sale, until the plants are released from quarantine, without prior written permission
• the plants will be labeled by plant name, port accession number and date of import
• the plants will be separated from domestic stock of the same genus, including such stock on adjoining premises, by no less than three meters (approximately 10 feet) and will be separated by other imported plants by the same distance
• any treatments prescribed by the officer including destruction of the quarantined plants or other plants grown on the premises will be complied with to prevent dissemination of plant pests
• the appropriate official will be notified in writing within 30 days when an abnormality is noticed or when a plant dies. Dead plants must be retained and surrendered to the officials for analysis

Choosing a quarantine area was easy when I had only a few roses imported from Europe.

Tags supplied by the USDA should be attached to each shipment (they haven’t actually provided a tag for each plant).