| Christmas tree shipping regulations |
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| Introduction |
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Below is a summary of requirements to ship cut Christmas trees to states and territories of the United States, and to selected foreign countries effective September 16, 2008. Inspections and certifications are provided by Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) personnel. Review the information in the summary and contact the department to arrange field inspections prior to harvest and certification. Please provide at least five days notice before the actual shipping date when requesting certificates. Requests need to be scheduled as far in advance as possible. Destination shipping requirements are subject to change. All bills of lading, invoices, and bills of sale should bear county of origin, as well as, the name and address of the shipper. All shipments of Christmas trees grown in Oregon are required by Oregon law to be accompanied by a shipping permit. Christmas tree brokers must submit a list of all growers and growing locations from which Christmas tree harvest and shipping will occur to the ODA, Plant Division.
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| Shipping to states and territories within the United States |
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Arizona
Oregon Christmas tree shipping permit required. The Arizona Department of Agriculture will inspect all trucks as they enter the state (including transit shipments). If pests are found, the shipment will be held at the border station pending identification. The Arizona Department of Agriculture estimates a four-hour turn-around on pest identification during business hours. Trucks arriving after business hours may be held until the next business day. Trucks arriving Friday afternoon or over the weekend maybe held until identification can be made the following week. Any pest found, that is named on Arizona’s quarantine list, is cause for shipment rejection. Arizona law requires all trucking companies participating in the “pre-pass” program and carrying agricultural products to stop at Arizona weigh stations.
California
- County of origin and species of Christmas tree (Pseudotsuga menziesii, Abies grandis, etc.) must appear on shipping documents. Mail-order Christmas trees shipped to customers in California, via US Mail, UPS, Federal Express, etc., must have the county of origin and species of Christmas tree clearly markedon the outside of each shipping carton. The best location for the county of origin is on the shipping label or adjacent to the label.
- All shipments that include pine species destined for California must be accompanied by a European pine shoot moth (EPSM) certificate. These certificates are only available for growing grounds that have been trapped during the 2007 trapping season. Contact your area horticulturist for additional information. Only certificates dated 6/1/07 to 5/31/08 are valid and may be obtained for eligible growing locations by calling the department horticulturist for your area at 503-986-4644.
- Shipments of EPSM uncertified pine Christmas trees may be shipped through California to other states provided the name and complete address of the consignee are present on the invoice, bill of sale,or bill of lading and the Christmas trees are shipped in a closed van (open trucks or trailers will not be allowed to pass through California if the shipment includes uncertified pine). Note: pine Christmas trees must also be accompanied by a cereal leaf beetle certificate.
- Cereal leaf beetle certification is required for Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris), red pine (Pinus resinosa), and Austrian pine (Pinus nigra). Any of these trees originating in infested Oregon counties (Baker, Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Lane, Linn, Malheur, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Washington, and Yamhill) are prohibited from shipment into California unless they are treated and certified before shipment. Regulated articles coming from uninfested counties must be certified by the ODA as to origin before shipping. Regulated pine species originating from infested counties may be shipped through California to other states when accompanied by a "Cereal Leaf Beetle Statement of Transit Compliance Agreement." Requests for certification should be directed to the ODA's Plant Division, 503-986-4644.
- Pine boughs in wreaths are exempt.
Delaware
Oregon Christmas tree shipping permit is required.
Florida
Signed compliance agreement with the ODA. See attached memo entitled, “European Brown Garden Snail Compliance Agreement.” The deadline for signing and returning the compliance agreement to the Department of Agriculture is October 15, 2007. In addition, a European brown garden snail certificate is required.
Hawaii
- Container inspection. Containers must be free from soil and debris and care must be taken to prevent contamination of Christmas trees and containers with soil during storage and loading procedures.
- All trees shipped to Hawaii must be shaken to qualify for certification. If no live yellowjacket (Vespula spp.), snails and slugs were found during examination, the entire lot of trees can be allowed for shipment to Hawaii and be certified as being 'apparently free of live yellowjacket, snails and slugs'. If one or more live yellowjacket, snails, or slugs were found during examination, the entire lot of trees shall be considered 'infested' and shall not be certified for shipment to Hawaii under this protocol.
Shaking options are: (a)Each individual unbound tree shall be lifted or raised not less than 18-inches above ground level with the butt of the tree struck onto a solid surface with sufficient force to dislodge any 'hitch-hiking' insects and other contaminants, such as arachnids, gastropods, amphibians, etc. The tree shall be shaken after each strike using a minimum of three or more strikes, and/or the procedure shall continue until most of the dead needle fall is eliminated. (b)100% of the trees in the consignment may receive mechanical shaking (motor or PTO driven shaking unit). Each unbound tree shall be mechanically shaken for a period of time sufficient to dislodge any 'hitch-hiking' insects and other contaminants, and/or until most of the dead needle fall is eliminated. - An Oregon state phytosanitary certificate must accompany the inspected shipment. The certificate shall include the following declarations: (1)100% of the trees have been mechanically or manually shaken; (2)The trees have been grown and originate from an area free of Gypsy Moth and Sudden Oak Death; and (3)The shipment is apparently free of yellowjackets (Vespula spp.), snails, slugs, and other detrimental pests.
Certificates should be placed in a waterproof plastic envelope and securely attached to the inside of the container door. - Any and all containers will be inspected at the port of Oahu by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDA). If no certificate is provided at the inspection, the HDA has the authority to reject the shipment, submit it for treatment at the owners’ expense, or recondition the shipment by 100% mechanical shaking, also at owners’ expense. The shipment may be refused entry if the owner does not wish to comply with treatment or reconditioning of trees.
Guam and other Pacific trust islands
Oregon state phytosanitary certificate is required. The Guam Department of Agriculture is requiring all imported Christmas trees to be shaken, starting this year.
New Mexico
Shipping document showing origin of trees required.
North Carolina
Signed compliance agreement with the ODA. See attached memo entitled, “European Brown Garden Snail Compliance Agreement.” The deadline for signing and returning the compliance agreement to the Department of Agriculture is October 15, 2007. A European brown garden snail certificate is required. In addition, pre-notification is required. Notification can be forwarded via fax to 919-773-1041, Attn.: Dan Wall, or e-mail <Dan.wall@ncmail.net>.
Oregon
The Oregon Christmas tree law requires that a shipping permit accompany each shipment of Oregon grown Christmas trees. Living “balled and burlapped,” potted, or containerized trees are regulated as nursery stock and require a nursery license.
Puerto Rico
Oregon state phytosanitary certificate is required. Additional declaration: The Christmas trees in this consignment are free from pine shoot beetle, Tomicus piniperda. All shipments are inspected on arrival. If any actionable pests are found, the trees will be fumigated, rejected, or destroyed at the option of the exporter. To avoid the possibility of rejection, it would be advisable to process the trees with a mechanical shaker.
Virginia
Signed compliance agreement with the ODA. See attached memo entitled, “European Brown Garden Snail Compliance Agreement.” The deadline for signing and returning the compliance agreement to the Department of Agriculture is October 15, 2007. In addition, a European brown garden snail certificate is required.
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| Shipping to foreign countries |
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Aruba
No known requirements, but certificates can be issued.
Canada
Canadian customs invoice required. Phytosanitary certificates are no longer required for cut pine Christmas trees, wreaths, and boughs. Shipments must be accompanied by documents verifying their origin.
Costa Rica
Federal phytosanitary certificate and import permit are required. Trees and containers must be free of soil. Do not certify unless an import permit is presented.
El Salvador
Federal phytosanitary certificate and import permit required. Trees and containers must be free of soil.
Guatemala
Federal phytosanitary certificate and import permit required. Trees and containers must be free of soil.
Hong Kong
Federal phytosanitary certificate and import permit are required. Trees and containers must be free of soil.
Japan
Federal phytosanitary certificate is required. Trees and containers must be free of soil. To avoid the possibility of Japan rejecting a shipment because of live insects or dead or diseased needles, it would be advisable to fumigate or process the trees with a mechanical shaker.
Korea
Federal phytosanitary certificate is required. Pinus species prohibited. Pseudotsuga menziesii prohibited from Columbia and Curry counties. Trees and containers must be free of soil. Add additional declaration, “This shipment was inspected and found free of Phytophthora ramorum.”
Mexico
Phytosanitary certificate (PC) required for Abies species, Pinus sylvestris, and Pseudotsuga menziesii. An import permit (IP) is not required for these species, but is preferred. PC and IP required for all other Christmas trees and conifer branches. All requirements on the IP must be met for trees to be certified. The IP is obtained from the customer in Mexico. In order to obtain a federal PC the following requirements must be met:
- If required, obtain import permit first.
- The trees must be inspected prior to harvest.
- Shipped trees must be mechanically shaken, prior to shipping, and must be clean and free from dead branchesand twigs, or yellow and red needles caused by pests or diseases.
- Trees must not be dyed or flocked, unless prior arrangements have been made with the Mexican Forestry Department.
- Trees must be free of pine shoot beetle, European pine shoot moth, white pine blister rust, and gypsy moth.
- Numerous class 2 organisms are also prohibited or have established tolerance levels. Some of these organisms include pine needle scale, Douglas fir twig weevil, Engleman spruce weevil, black pineleaf scale, etc. A complete list is available from ODA or USDA/APHIS.
- Points of entry into Mexico are: Ensenada, Mexicali, Tecate, Tijuana, C. Hidalgo, Ojinargra, Cd. Juarez, Piedras Negras, Cd. Acuna, Manzanillo, Mexico City, Acapulco, Lazaro Cardenas, Columbia, Salina Cruz, Subtenente Lopez, Mazatlan, Topolobampo, Agua Prieeta, Nogales, San Luis Rio Colorado, Matamoros, Reynosa, Nv. Progresso, Cd. M. Aleman, Nv. Laredo, Altamira, Tampico, Veracruz, Coatzacoalcos, Merida, Progresso.
- Please contact your inspector for current shipping regulations.
Palau
Federal phytosanitary certificate and import permit required.
Panama
Import permit and federal phytosanitary certificate showing the trees’ origin are required.
Singapore
Neither IP nor PC is required. PCs can be provided as a courtesy.
Taiwan
PC is required. Trees and containers must be free of soil. Additional declaration: “This shipment has been thoroughly inspected and found free from long-horned beetle and pinewood nematode.”
The Philippines
Federal phytosanitary certificate and import permit required. Trees and containers must be free of soil.
All other foreign countries
- Phytosanitary certificate required.
- The foreign importer (buyer) should obtain a plant import permit from the ministry or department of agriculture of the importing country.
- Christmas tree growers may wish to contact the importing country’s nearest consulate office in the United States for agricultural inspection and customs requirements.
For a specific country’s shipping requirements, contact the ODA, Salem, 503-986-4644, or USDA-APHIS, Portland, 503-326-2814.
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