Re: Serious issue/Proposed USDA
- Subject: Re: Serious issue/Proposed USDA
- From: M* T*
- Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 01:09:09 -0500
Terry,
George is grinning evilly from above, I think...saying 'told you so'
'told you so'...
I agree that what is proposed is both irrational and likely
unenforceable, but if implemented will cause somebody grief that's
not needed. Problem with gov't. agencies is that they live by and
for regulations with a goal of creating more of them.
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor: Gardening in Shade
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> From: Dowdeswell <dowdeswell@delphinium.co.nz>
>
> This is a very worrying aspect for us too. Presently we are
shipping
> delphinium seed into the USA for further distribution as this is
the only way
> to comply with the phytosanitary requirements economically. That is
bad
> enough and an added expense. I find the proposed new measures
totally
> irrational and probably completely unenforceable. Are they going to
require
> you to have your cars steam cleaned every time you cross a state or
an
> International border? I worry for their sanity.
>
> Is George Orwell out there?
>
> Terry Dowdeswell
> Wanganui
> New Zealand
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> terry@delphinium.co.nz
> http://www.delphinium.co.nz
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
>
> > Marge,thank you so much for keeping us abreast of this issue.(
easy to
> > miss this time of year,pre-occupied as we all are) Reasonable
> > controls,compliance sure you bet,but this is reaching irrational
> > portions..Freedom is slowly fading into the sunset on this front
and
> > many others,primarily because the only voices heard are those
with a
> > 'cause'.. Do we not also have rights?and a cause? Please all,
consider
> > that if we do not speak out ,only those that brought this issue
to
> > this end will have been heard.....(and dont forget the chemical
> > companies which will profit greatly when the push comes to
remove the
> > exotic 'weeds' from our public lands,and as I hear it that is
> > definetly coming as well.) Whats next?a knock on our doors
announcing
> > that they have come(chemicals at the ready) to bring our gardens
into
> > compliance?!..Impossible?Farfetched?..I pray thats true. Connie
(I am
> > leaving her message fully intact in case any might have missed it
> > prior.)
> >
> > Marge Talt wrote:
> >
> > > Hi gang,
> > >
> > > I have not seen mention on this list about the pending Draft
Action
> > > Plan for the Noxious Weed Program, so I am going to copy and
past a
> > > post I sent to Perennial list in reply to one about it.
Apologies
> > > to those of you on both lists for the duplication. I do feel
this
> > > is such an important issue for all of us.
> > >
> > > Here goes:
> > >
> > > Linda,
> > >
> > > There is a good deal of fact in this information. It is NOT an
> > > Urban Legend, but a very serious issue that, if implemented in
its
> > > present form, will adversely affect all gardeners in this
country.
> > > What you have posted comes from the J. L. HUDSON, SEEDSMAN
> site:
> > >
> > > http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/USDAComment.htm#Letter to Congress
> > >
> > > and refers to the Draft Action Plan for the Noxious Weed
Program,
> > > which can be read in .pdf format (you need Adobe Acrobat
plugin)
> > > here:
> > >
> > > http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/weeds/weedsjan2002-pub.pdf
> > >
> > > The USDA currently has the power, vested in the Plant
Protection Act
> > > that was signed into law by President Clinton a couple years
ago, to
> > > restrict through regulation and permit requirements the
shipment of
> > > plants, seeds, plant parts, and propagules interstate. They
are
> > > not, currently doing this with the exception of known and
listed
> > > noxious weeds, but they have the power and if this Draft plan
is
> > > implemented, I fear the day when they use this power will not
be far
> > > off. Should they choose to exercise it, they have the right to
fine
> > > any of us for sending seeds or plants across state lines. At
the
> > > moment, this only relates to known and listed noxious weeds,
but if
> > > this Draft proposal is implemented, it will soon include all
plants
> > > that have not made it onto their 'clean' list.
> > >
> > > More worrying to me are the proposals in this draft that would
> > > implement risk assessment and weediness screening of ALL plants
> and
> > > the development of what is termed a "modified clean list",
which
> > > means that any plant NOT on this list could not be sold, traded
or
> > > given away by anybody. In reality, it is not possible to
screen
> > > every plant now known or yet to be discovered for every
ecosystem in
> > > this country. This means, in reality, that any new plants
would
> > > simply be banned, as well as many now in cultivation.
> > >
> > > The really scary part is that in order to implement risk
assessment,
> > > they would likely use a model proposed by Dr. Sara Reichard of
the
> > > University of Washington, USDA advisor on invasive plants.
This
> > > model would ban (according to a post by Tony Avent who talked
to
> > > her) 40% of the plants that we commonly grow in our gardens,
and
> > > which are not invasive. It would also mean that a plant that
is
> > > invasive in Hawaii would be banned throughout the US, whether
it had
> > > a chance of survival in other climates or not. We all know
that one
> > > person's weed is another's treasure, depending on where you are
> > > trying to grow the plant. One size does not fit all the
climates in
> > > this vast country.
> > >
> > > Further, such policies require adequate, scientifically
verified
> > > methods of predicting which species would be "invasive" and all
> > > scientific attempts at such predictions have failed.
> > >
> > > USDA is moving steadily ahead in implementing restrictive
> > > regulations in the guise of controlling weeds and invasive
plants.
> > > They are not dealing with the causes, only with implementing
> > > restrictions that will, ultimately, result in banning all
plants
> > > that are not on a list. Currently, they maintain a list of
known,
> > > proven noxious weeds. This is perfectly adequate. They also
> > > propose guidelines for adding and removing plants from this
list...I
> > > have no quarrel with those.
> > >
> > > I do feel, however, very strongly about a 'clean' or 'white'
list
> > > and subjecting all plants to some sort of 'risk assessment'.
It is
> > > not a practical, feasible matter and, if implemented, will end
our
> > > freedom to grow what we want; to buy, trade and send seeds and
> > > plants as we see fit. Noxious weeds and invasive plants are
not
> > > caused by ornamental gardening.
> > >
> > > There is one week left for public comment on this Draft
proposal. I
> > > urge EVERYBODY to send email and copies to your legislators and
> the
> > > USDA. The Hudson seed site has made this very easy to do. It
> > > provides links to find your legislators and a guide letter to
use.
> > >
> > > I urge everybody to educate themselves on these issues. But,
if you
> > > simply cannot spend that time, at least copy and send the guide
> > > letter if you care about biological diversity and our right as
> > > citizens and gardeners to send and receive and grow the plants
that
> > > we want to grow.
> > >
> > > This is very serious and time is growing short. They have not
> > > allowed enough time for public comment, nor has USDA made
> sufficient
> > > effort to inform the public. They do not include
representatives of
> > > the gardening world among their advisors or stakeholders; they
are
> > > simply ignoring the impact on gardeners and the nurseries that
> > > supply us with our plants.
> > >
> > > The Time To ACT is NOW!
> > >
> > > Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> > > mtalt@hort.net
> > > Editor: Gardening in Shade
> > > -----------------------------------------------
> > > Current Article: Online Nurseries 2002 - Garden Vision
> > > http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
> > > ------------------------------------------------
> > > Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
> > > http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
> > > ------------------------------------------------
> > > All Suite101.com garden topics :
> > > http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635
> >
> >
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