Frequently Asked Questions: Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

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 Sweet Orange Scab (SOS) and Citrus Back Spot (CBS), please refer to SOS Federal Orders and CBS Federal Orders.

View the Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (227.22 KB)

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

A certificate is issued for citrus nursery stock that is eligible for interstate movement to all areas of the United States.

A limited permit is issued for citrus nursery stock that is not eligible for a certificate but is eligible for interstate movement only to a specified destination.

Do the requirements for interstate movement of citrus nursery stock differ based on the destination of the nursery stock (e.g., residential versus commercial area)?

No, the requirements are not different.

Are there any restrictions on propagative materials that I can bring into my APHIS-approved structure?

All materials, including seed, must be traceable to a clean source, such as a state-certified clean stock program. The central tenet of the protocol is to “start clean and stay clean” by using a systems approach that is verified through inspection and testing. Clean sources maintain the integrity of the systems approach.

Can I move citrus nursery stock from one APHIS-approved structure to another within contiguous quarantines? Between non-contiguous quarantines?

Yes. You may move citrus nursery stock from one APHIS-approved structure to another within a contiguous quarantine. Proper safeguarding must be followed during transportation and transfer.

Movement from a quarantine area to a non-quarantine area within the same state follows the requirements of interstate movement.

If a tree positive for Citrus Greening (CG) is found within a facility and removed, can I test the remaining trees until no CG is detected? What about for Citrus Canker (CC)?

No. Detections of CG or CC within a facility indicate a failure of the systems approach and violate the central tenet of the protocol to “start clean and stay clean”. The facility must be cleaned and recertified after a detection of CG or CC. 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.

Can the 30-day Asian Citrus Psyllid, Citrus Greening, or Citrus Canker inspection cycles be stopped and then restarted if a nursery is not shipping plants for a period of time?

No. The 30-day inspections must be maintained to ensure the integrity of the exclusionary facility. Once a structure falls out of compliance with the monthly inspection requirements, both the structure and the citrus nursery stock inside will no longer be eligible for interstate movement. The nursery will have to restart the certification process with new plant material.

Can I bring outside citrus nursery stock into my APHIS-approved structure, undergo 3 consecutive 30-day negative inspection cycles, and then ship interstate?

No. The citrus nursery stock must originate from a certified clean source and be maintained inside an APHIS-approved structure for its entire life in order to be eligible for interstate movement.

What is considered a breach in an APHIS-approved structure?

A breach is any circumstance that would allow free access by federally regulated pests into a structure.

When do I need to report a breach? Can I repair a breach before the APHIS inspector arrives?

Notify APHIS immediately after you discover a breach. It is also important to safeguard the plants and fix the breach as soon as possible. Please take photos or videos to thoroughly document the breached area and any repairs made.

In case of extreme weather events, notify APHIS as soon as possible.

If there was a breach, can I ship my plants interstate?

For a breach in an Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) only quarantine area, plants are eligible for movement after the required treatments and inspection period showing freedom from ACP.

For a breach in Citrus Canker (CC), Citrus Greening (CG), or CG and ACP quarantine areas, plants are not eligible for interstate movement.

What are the requirements for movement of shipments out of a quarantine area that include multiple loads and/or multiple stops?

The shipment must reach the destination within the time limit of the limited permit. When moving multiple loads, the individual shipments must be safeguarded when loading and unloading material to exclude the entry of pests.

Once a lot is issued a certificate, will it be allowed to move to other distributors in the state prior to interstate movement as long as it is properly safeguarded?

Yes. Movement to a distributor prior to interstate movement may be possible, but this depends on the quarantine area where the APHIS-certified structure and distributor are located. The distributor must also be under a compliance agreement. Please contact an APHIS representative for more information.

Since seed is a low-risk material, does it need to originate from a state-certified seed source tree?

Yes. Both the seed source tree and the seed must be traceable to a clean source.

Can I use heat or chemically treated seed instead of certified seed?

No. Heat or chemical treatments are not currently an acceptable substitute for certified seed.

Regarding section V. of the protocol, do plants shipped from non-APHIS-approved structures to non-citrus producing states need to originate from certified clean stock?

No. Plants shipped from non-APHIS-approved structures to non-citrus producing states do not need to originate from certified clean stock.

Instead of labeling each individual tree, can I label every few trees per shipment if I am shipping trees to growers (not for retail sale)?

No. Maintaining a chain of custody during shipping requires that every plant is tagged. Nursery owners under a compliance agreement with APHIS following the Citrus Nursery Stock protocol must individually label citrus nursery stock with adequate identifying information to permit trace-back to the premises where plants were grown.

Are curry trees regulated under the Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (CNSP)?

Yes. The CNSP covers Citrus species and relatives including the curry tree and orange jasmine.

What are the requirements to harvest and ship leaves for consumption grown in a quarantine area?

The Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol does not provide the requirements to harvest and ship curry leaves for consumption. Please refer to the leaves for consumption Federal Orders.

What is the process to make changes to the Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol?

If APHIS is proposing substantive modifications to the Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol, we will publish a proposed notice in the Federal Register providing details of the proposed changes and the rationale. The proposed notice will be open for public comment.

If APHIS is proposing non-substantive modifications (such as providing clarifications or format changes), we will post the revised protocol on our website and request public comment through the stakeholder registry. We encourage interested stakeholders to subscribe to the APHIS Stakeholder Registry

Who may I contact if I have more questions about the Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol?

You may contact your State Plant Health Director from the list of State Citrus Contacts listed on the citrus disease home page.