State

California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)

California imposed regulations for Phytophthora ramorum in May 2001.  The regulations are continually updated to add new hosts and to reflect new scientific understanding. 

Within CDFA, the regulation controlling plant movement was prepared by the Pest Exclusion Branch, Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services Division, California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). It is listed in the Plant Quarantine Manual as: State Miscellaneous Ruling 3700 - Oak Mortality Disease Control. The regulation establishes restrictions against P. ramorum and host plants. 

State Miscellaneous Ruling 3700 includes, among other things, a description of the pest (P. ramorum), delineation of the regulated area, specific articles and commodities covered, and the restrictions. Appendices include updates to the host list and to the infested areas, sampling guidelines for taking field samples of the pathogen, and the Summary Agency Contact Responsibility. This last item lists in detail which state or federal agency has jurisdiction over which type of land, and under what circumstances.

For the entire text of the initial ruling, click on the following link:
http://pi.cdfa.ca.gov/pqm/manual/pdf/455.pdf. Subsequent emergency amendments have added species to the regulated and associated hosts list, and most recently expanded the regulated area to include Lake County. The synopsis of this amendment follows.

Section 3700(b), Oak Mortality Disease Control - Emergency Amendment (for Lake County)

This proposed amendment of the regulation will add Lake County to the regulated area and will establish the restrictions on the handling and movement of regulated articles and commodities and potential carriers of this disease to non-infested counties. The effect of the proposed amendment will be to provide authority for the State to regulate movement of regulated articles and commodities and potential carriers of disease from Lake County to prevent artificial spread of the pest to non-infested areas to protect California's agricultural industry.

For the most current information, go to
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/pe/InteriorExclusion/SuddenOakDeath/

                     

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About the Task Force. Created in August 2000, the California Oak Mortality Task Force (COMTF) is a nonprofit organization, under the California Forest Pest Council, that brings together public agencies, other nonprofit organizations and private interests to address the issue of elevated levels of oak mortality. The Task Force will implement a comprehensive and unified approach for research, management, education and public policy. Copyright 2004, COMTF