The woman who apparently thought that U.S. Customs agents at the Mexican border would never check the contents of a diaper, thought wrong. After the woman declared that she had no plants with her, the agents searched her vehicle and, underneath the seat, found a diaper containing 10 agave plants. For those concerned about invasive […]
Oregon, California growers sue to reopen South Carolina plant market
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Nurseries can’t afford to let disease spread. They take seriously the threat of Phytophthora ramorum, commonly known as sudden oak death – and so does the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). For several years, APHIS has had rules in effect to protect ecosystems and plant material. Nurseries in Oregon and California have […]
Alaskan officials concerned about Christmas tree frogs
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There have been several news reports the last few days about Pacific chorus frogs hitchhiking from Washington state to Alaska, including this AP dispatch. Officials in the Land of the Midnight Sun are worried that the frogs, not native to Alaska, could spread disease to native frogs. Reports indicate the offending trees (just two so […]
European grapevine moth detected in California
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A pest never before found in the United States has been detected in California’s Napa Valley. The European grapevine moth, Lobestria botrana, which feeds primarily on the flowers and fruits of grape plants (Vitis spp.) and spruge laurels (Daphne gnidium). Other hosts include blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), gooseberry (Ribes ssp.), black and red currant (Ribes nigurm), […]
Gypsy moths sent packing
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Despite placing 12,000 traps this year, the Oregon Department of Agriculture detected just six gypsy moths in the state. That’s half the number detected in 2008 (12), and far fewer than the thousands that were detected at times in the past. Three were found in Portland near Jantzen Beach, two in the Aurora area, and […]
Join the fight against invasives
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The Oregon Invasive Species Council is accepting nominations for four positions on the council that are coming open at the end of the year. The appointing authorities are looking for individuals with expertise in various areas, one of which is nursery production. The Oregon Department of Agriculture has one of the six permanent seats, but […]
APHIS considers regulating wood in shipping
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The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is considering proposed rule changes involving wood packaging material used in domestic commerce, such as crates, pallets and sticks. Nurseries commonly use pallets and sticks when shipping plant material, but such wood material unwittingly could transport unwanted and dangerous hitchhikers, such as the emerald ash borer and […]
Time for OktoberPest!
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If you show up in lederhosen clutching a beer stein, it means you probably didn’t read the announcement very carefully. OktoberPest is a yearly series of pest management workshops held every October at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora, Ore, and the agenda (PDF) for 2009 is now available. The dates are […]
A persistent pathogen
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Scientists are wondering: Why does Phytophthora ramorum – the fungus that causes sudden oak death – survive sometimes even if all host material is removed, the area is fumigated and all runoff is ceased? Read more in this Page A-1 story from today’s San Francisco Chronicle.
Weed all about it
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Garbage is a threat to Oregon’s beauty, but invasive weeds are worse. They damage the health of ecosystems. Now, thanks to a recently-passed Oregon law, you get the same credit under the Adopt-A-Highway program whether it’s garbage or weeds you remove. This article from the Bend Bulletin, published back in January, tells the tale of […]