Nurseries

What is the Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol and where can I find more information about it?

The Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol provides standards and requirements for the interstate movement of citrus nursery stock from areas quarantined for Citrus Canker (CC), Citrus Greening (CG) and/or Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP). All interstate movement of citrus nursery stock is prohibited unless the conditions in this protocol are met.

For requirements for areas quarantined for Citrus Back Spot (CBS), please refer to CBS Federal Orders.   View the Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (227.22 KB)

For information about Alabama’s Citrus restrictions, visit the State’s Citrus Page.

When do I need a limited permit? When do I need a certificate?

A certificate is issued by the USDA for citrus nursery stock that is eligible for interstate movement to all areas of the United States.  That citrus has been grown in a closely inspected USDA-APHIS approved screen house following Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol.  Alabama no longer issues limited permit tags.

I don’t sell citrus trees but have a citrus grove, how do I have my trees inspected and does it cost anything?

If we are not aware of your citrus grove, you may contact us and provide us the information.  ADAI inspectors perform biannual surveys on citrus groves, nurseries, and homeowner’s citrus trees.  There is no charge for this service.

Will ADAI let me know the results of their survey?

That depends if anything is found.  If a regulated disease was found on your property during our survey, a formal letter will be sent to you, provided we have your address on file.  Otherwise, we will try to contact you by any means we can to let you know.  If nothing was found, we will not contact you.

If I have an APHIS approved structure, and a tree test positive for a citrus disease, can I remove it then test the remaining trees to show there is no citrus disease detected and continue to sell them?

No. Detections of a citrus disease within a facility indicates a failure of the system’s approach and violates the central tenet of the protocol to “start clean and stay clean”. The facility must be cleaned and recertified after a detection of a citrus disease. Following recertification, the facility must reset with clean material from a certified source and implement an intact systems approach to be eligible to ship interstate.

I am purchasing the trees from a clean source, the trees have been inspected and are disease free, why can’t I sell them to who I want?

Buying trees from a clean source and maintaining that they remain disease free is the best way to minimize the spread of pest and disease.  However, once the trees enter a quarantine area, unless they are kept in a USDA-APHIS approved facility, they are susceptible to the possible exposure to citrus disease or pest.  Even if the risk is very small, there is still a risk and therefore we must restrict their movement.

Why do I have to post the citrus quarantine signs? My customers think the trees have a disease and it is hurting sales.

The signs are a measure used to inform the public that Alabama is under Federal Citrus quarantines, and it is a violation to move them out of those areas.  The signs have QR codes and websites addresses included that direct the consumer to educational information about the quarantines.  Unfortunately, other state under quarantine were not as diligent in enforcing the quarantine and allowed diseased trees to enter our state, thereby affecting our citrus industry and requiring us to now fall under those citrus quarantines.  We encourage you to use the signs as an opportunity to educate your consumer about plant pest and diseases.  The posted signs are just one step ADAI is taking to protect the citrus industry, nurseries, and homeowners.  These steps were not taken lightly nor were they taken to protect a single business but are a result of months of discussion with State and Federal regulators to safeguard the industry as a whole.  If you have suggestions as to how we can educate the public and ensure that plants do not leave a quarantine area, all while not placing a burden on business, we will be glad to entertain those ideas.

Mississippi and Georgia are not recognized as citrus producing states, why can’t I sell my trees to people who live in those states?

Both Georgia and Mississippi have restrictions on importing citrus from quarantine zones and from facilities that do not follow the USDA regulations for growing citrus for export.  However, regardless of what a state’s restrictions might be, Alabama prohibits the exportation of any citrus plants unless that plant has been grown in a USDA-APHIS approved screen house that follows citrus nursery stock protocol.