DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Order of Quarantine; Plum Pox Virus [30 Pa.B. 3269] Whereas, the Plant Pest Act (3 P. S. §§ 258.1--258.27) empowers the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (Department) to take various measures to detect, contain and eradicate plant pests in this Commonwealth; and
Whereas, the powers granted the Department under the Plant Pest Act include (at 3 P. S. § 258.21) the power to establish quarantines to prevent the dissemination of plant pests within this Commonwealth; and
Whereas, Plum Pox Virus--a plant pest indigenous to Europe--is a serious plant pest that injures and damages stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots by drastically reducing the fruit yields from these stone fruit trees and by disfiguring the fruit to the point it is unmarketable; and
Whereas, the Department has issued an order of quarantine (published at 29 Pa.B. 5735, November 6, 1999) with respect to Latimore and Huntington Townships, in Adams County, as a result of the presence of Plum Pox Virus on stone fruit trees in those townships; and
Whereas, Plum Pox Virus has been detected on stone fruit trees located in South Middleton Township, in Cumberland County, adjoining the Latimore/Huntington Township quarantine area; and
Whereas, Plum Pox Virus has the potential to cause serious damage to the stone fruit production industry within this Commonwealth; and
Whereas, Plum Pox Virus is transmitted from infected trees by aphids and by budding or grafting, and can be spread into new areas by movement of infected nursery stock; and
Whereas, the movement of Plum Pox Virus-infected fruit trees poses a danger to stone fruit trees in non-infected areas; and
Whereas, there is no known control for Plum Pox Virus other than destruction of infected trees.
Now, therefore, under authority of section 21 of the Plant Pest Act (3 P. S. § 258.21), the Department of Agriculture hereby establishes a quarantine effective in South Middleton Township, Cumberland County, PA.
This quarantine prohibits the movement of stone fruit trees and stone fruit budwood within the quarantined area, and prohibits the movement of stone fruit trees and stone fruit budwood out of the quarantined area.
The Department will consult with the United States Department of Agriculture, European experts and scientific authorities with respect to the most efficacious measures by which to contain and eliminate this serious plant pest. The Department will issue further restrictions under authority of this Quarantine Order, as is required under the Plant Pest Act (at 3 P. S. § 258.21(a)). These restrictions may address aphid control, elimination or reduction of aphid habitat, destruction of Plum Pox Virus-infected stone fruit trees and budwood, destruction of endangered or exposed stone fruit trees or budwood and any other measures necessary to the containment and elimination of the Plum Pox Virus in this Commonwealth.
This quarantine is effective as of June 15, 2000.
SAMUEL E. HAYES, Jr.,
Secretary[Pa.B. Doc. No. 00-1129. Filed for public inspection June 30, 2000, 9:00 a.m.]
