No person may move interstate from any quarantined area any regulated article except in accordance with this subpart. 1

1 Any properly identified inspector is authorized to stop and inspect persons and means of conveyance and to seize, qurantine, treat, apply other remedial measures to, destroy, or otherwise dispose of regulated articles a provided in sections 414, 421, and 434 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7714, 7731, and 7754).

[65 FR 35264, June 2, 2000, as amended at 66 FR 21051, Apr. 27, 2001]

The following definitions apply to this subpart.

Administrator. The Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or any person authorized to act for the Administrator.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Departmental permit. A document issued by the Administrator in which he or she affirms that interstate movement of the regulated article identified on the document is for scientific or experimental purposes and that the regulated article is eligible for interstate movement in accordance with § 301.74-4.

Infestation (infested, infected). The presence of plum pox or circumstances or symptoms that makes it reasonable to believe that plum pox is present.

Inspector. Any employee of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, or other person authorized by the Administrator to enforce this subpart.

Interstate. From any State into or through any other State.

Moved (move, movement). Shipped, offered for shipment, received for transportation, transported, carried, or allowed to be moved, shipped, transported, or carried.

Person. Any association, company, corporation, firm, individual, joint stock company, partnership, society, or other entity.

Plant Protection and Quarantine. Plant Protection and Quarantine, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture.

Plum pox. A plant disease caused by plum pox potyvirus that can affect many Prunus (stone fruit) species, including, but not limited to, almond, apricot, nectarine, peach, plum, and sweet and tart cherry. The strain of plum pox in Pennsylvania does not affect cherry trees.

Quarantined area. Any State, or any portion of a State, listed in accordance with § 301.74-3(a) or otherwise designated as a quarantined area in accordance with § 301.74-3(b).

Regulated article. Any article identified as a regulated article under § 301.74-2 as follows: listed as of January 30, 2023, added in accordance with § 301.74-2(a)(1) and (2), or otherwise designated in accordance with § 301.74-2(b), based on its susceptibility to the form or strain of plum pox detected in the quarantined area.

State. The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, or any State, territory, or possession of the United States.

[74 FR 27073, June 8, 2009, as amended at 87 FR 80008, Dec. 29, 2022]

(a) The Administrator has determined that certain articles present a risk of spreading plum pox. A list of all such articles is found on the internet at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/plum-pox/plumpox. Lists of all regulated articles may also be obtained by request from any local Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) office; local offices are listed in telephone directories and on the internet at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/ppq-program-overview/sphd.

(1) If the Administrator determines that an article not already listed at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/plum-pox/plumpox presents a risk of spreading plum pox, APHIS will publish a notice in the Federal Register proposing to designate the article as a regulated article for plum pox. The notice will provide the basis for this determination, and will request public comment.

(2) If no comments are received on the notice, or if the comments do not change the Administrator's determination, APHIS will publish a second notice in the Federal Register designating the article as a regulated article for plum pox and listing it.

(b) An inspector may designate any other product or article as a regulated article, if the inspector determines it to present a risk of spreading plum pox, and after the inspector notifies the person in possession of the product or article that it is subject to the restrictions in this subpart.

[87 FR 80008, Dec. 29, 2022]

(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the Administrator will list as a quarantined area each State, or each portion of a State, in which plum pox has been detected through inspection and laboratory testing, or in which the Administrator has reason to believe that plum pox is present, or that the Administrator considers necessary to quarantine because of its inseparability for quarantine enforcement purposes from localities in which plum pox has been detected. The Administrator will publish a list of all quarantined areas (the quarantine list) on the PPQ website at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/plum-pox/plumpox. The list will include the date that the list was last updated. Lists of all quarantined areas may also be obtained by request from any local PPQ office; local offices are listed in telephone directories and on the internet at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/ppq-program-overview/sphd. After a change is made to the list of quarantined areas, APHIS will publish a notice in the Federal Register informing the public that the change has occurred and describing the change to the quarantined areas. Less than an entire State will be designated as a quarantined area only if the Administrator determines that:

(1) The State has adopted and is enforcing restrictions on the intrastate movement of regulated articles that are equivalent to those imposed by this subpart on the interstate movement of regulated articles; and

(2) The designation of less than an entire State as a quarantined area will be adequate to prevent the interstate spread of plum pox.

(b) The Administrator or an inspector may temporarily designate any nonquarantined area in a State as a quarantined area in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section. The Administrator will give a copy of this subpart along with a written notice for the temporary designation to the owner or person in possession of the nonquarantined area. Thereafter, the interstate movement of any regulated article from an area temporarily designated as a quarantined area will be subject to this subpart. As soon as practicable, this area will be added to the quarantine list or the designation will be terminated by the Administrator or an inspector. The owner or person in possession of an area for which the quarantine designation is terminated will be given notice of the termination as soon as practicable.

[87 FR 80008, Dec. 29, 2022]

The interstate movement of any regulated article from a quarantined area 1 is prohibited except when:

1 Requirements under all other applicable Federal domestic plant quarantines and regulations must also be met.

(a) The regulated article is moved by the United States Department of Agriculture:

(1) For an experimental or scientific purpose;

(2) Pursuant to a Departmental permit issued by the Administrator for the regulated article;

(3) Under conditions specified on the Departmental permit and found by the Administrator to be adequate to prevent the spread of plum pox; and

(4) With a tag or label bearing the number of the Departmental permit issued for the regulated article attached to the outside of the container of the regulated article or attached to the regulated article itself if not in a container; or

(b) The regulated article originated outside the quarantined area and:

(1) Is moved in an enclosed vehicle or is completely enclosed by a covering (such as canvas, plastic, or other closely woven cloth) adequate to prevent access by aphids or other transmission agents of plum pox while in the quarantined area;

(2) The regulated article's point of origin is indicated on the waybill; and

(3) The regulated article must not be uncovered, unpacked, or unloaded while moving through the quarantined area.

[74 FR 27073, June 8, 2009, as amended at 87 FR 80009, Dec. 29, 2022]

(a) Eligibility. The following individuals are eligible to receive compensation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to mitigate losses or expenses incurred because of the plum pox quarantine and emergency actions:

(1) Owners of commercial stone fruit orchards. Owners of commercial stone fruit orchards are eligible to receive compensation for losses associated with the destruction of trees in order to control plum pox pursuant to an emergency action notification issued by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

(i) Direct marketers. Orchard owners eligible for compensation under this paragraph who market all fruit they produce under the conditions described in this paragraph may receive compensation at the rates specified in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section. In order to be eligible to receive compensation at the rates specified in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, orchard owners must have marketed fruit produced in orchards subsequently destroyed because of plum pox under the following conditions:

(A) The fruit must have been sold exclusively at farmers markets or similar outlets that require orchard owners to sell only fruit that they produce;

(B) The fruit must not have been marketed wholesale or at reduced prices in bulk to supermarkets or other retail outlets;

(C) The fruit must have been marketed directly to consumers; and

(D) Orchard owners must have records documenting that they have met the requirements of this section, and must submit those records to APHIS as part of their application submitted in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.

(ii) All other orchard owners. Orchard owners eligible for compensation under this paragraph who do not meet the requirements of paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section are eligible for compensation only in accordance with paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section.

(2) Owners of fruit tree nurseries. The owner of a fruit tree nursery will be eligible to receive compensation for net revenue losses associated with the prohibition on the movement or sale of nursery stock as a result of the issuance of an emergency action notification by APHIS with respect to regulated articles within the nursery in order to control plum pox.

(3) Owners of non-fruit-bearing ornamental tree nurseries. The owner of a non-fruit-bearing ornamental tree nursery will be eligible to receive compensation for net revenue losses associated with the prohibition on the movement or sale of nursery stock as a result of the issuance of an emergency action notification by APHIS with respect to regulated articles within the nursery in order to control plum pox.

(b) Amount of payment. Upon approval of a claim submitted in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section, individuals eligible for compensation under paragraph (a) of this section will be paid at the rates indicated in this paragraph.

(1) Owners of commercial stone fruit orchards—(i) Direct marketers. Owners of commercial stone fruit orchards who APHIS has determined meet the eligibility requirements of paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section will be compensated according to the following table on a per-acre basis at a rate based on the age of the trees destroyed. If the trees were not destroyed by the date specified on the emergency action notification, the compensation payment will be reduced by 10 percent and by any tree removal costs incurred by the State or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The maximum USDA compensation rate is 85 percent of the loss in value, adjusted for any State-provided compensation to ensure total compensation from all sources does not exceed 100 percent of the loss in value.

(ii) All other orchard owners. Owners of commercial stone fruit orchards who meet the eligibility requirements of paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section will be compensated according to the following table on a per-acre basis at a rate based on the age of the trees destroyed. If the trees were not destroyed by the date specified on the emergency action notification, the compensation payment will be reduced by 10 percent and by any tree removal costs incurred by the State or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The maximum USDA compensation rate is 85 percent of the loss in value, adjusted for any State-provided compensation to ensure total compensation from all sources does not exceed 100 percent of the loss in value.

(2) Owners of fruit tree nurseries. Owners of fruit tree nurseries who meet the eligibility requirements of paragraph (a)(2) of this section will be compensated for up to 85 percent of the net revenues lost from their first and second year crops as the result of the issuance of an emergency action notification which will be calculated as follows:

(i) First year crop. The net revenue loss for trees that were expected to be sold in the year during which the emergency action notification was issued (i.e., the first year crop) will be calculated as (expected number of trees to be sold) × (average price per tree) − (digging, grading, and storage costs) = net revenue lost for first year crop, where:

(A) The expected number of trees to be sold equals the number of trees in the field minus 2 percent culls minus 3 percent unsold trees; and

(B) The average price per tree is $5.22 for plum and apricot trees and $3.69 for peach and nectarine trees; and

(C) Digging, grading and storage costs are $0.10 per tree.

(ii) Second year crop. The net revenue loss for trees that would be expected to be sold in the year following the year during which the emergency action notification was issued (i.e., the second year crop) will be calculated as (expected number of trees to be sold) × (average price per tree) = net revenue lost for second year crop, where:

(A) The expected number of trees to be sold equals the number of budded trees in the field minus 20 percent death loss minus 2 percent culls; and

(B) The average price per tree is $5.22 for plum and apricot trees and $3.69 for peach and nectarine trees.

(3) Owners of non-fruit-bearing ornamental tree nurseries. Owners of non-fruit-bearing ornamental tree nurseries who meet the eligibility requirements of paragraph (a)(3) of this section will be compensated for up to 85 percent of the net revenues lost from their crop as the result of the issuance of an emergency action notification. Net revenues will be calculated using an average price of $10.80 per tree or shrub.

(c) How to apply. The form necessary to submit a claim for compensation may be obtained from the National Director of the Plum Pox Eradication Program contact listed at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/plum_pox/index.shtml. Claims for trees or nursery stock destroyed on or before February 3, 2012 must be received within 60 days after February 3, 2012. Claims for trees or nursery stock destroyed after February 3, 2012 must be received within 60 days after the destruction of the trees or nursery stock. Claims must be submitted as follows:

(1) Claims by owners of stone fruit orchards who are direct marketers. The completed application must be accompanied by:

(i) A copy of the emergency action notification ordering the destruction of the trees and its accompanying inventory that describes the acreage and ages of trees removed;

(ii) Documentation verifying that the destruction of trees has been completed and the date of that destruction; and

(iii) Records documenting that the grower meets the eligibility requirements of paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section.

(2) Claims by owners of commercial stone fruit orchards who are not direct marketers. The completed application must be accompanied by a copy of the emergency action notification ordering the destruction of the trees, its accompanying inventory that describes the acreage and ages of trees removed, and documentation verifying that the destruction of trees has been completed and the date of that destruction.

(3) Claims by owners of fruit tree nurseries and owners of non-fruit-bearing ornamental tree nurseries. The completed application must be accompanied by a copy of the order prohibiting the sale or movement of the nursery stock, its accompanying inventory that describes the total number of trees and the age and variety, and documentation describing the final disposition of the nursery stock.

(d) Replanting. Trees of susceptible Prunus species (i.e., Prunus species identified as regulated articles) may not be replanted on premises within a contiguous quarantined area until 3 years from the date the last trees within that area were destroyed because of plum pox pursuant to an emergency action notification issued by APHIS.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control numbers 0579-0159 and 0579-0251) [65 FR 55435, Sept. 14, 2000, as amended at 69 FR 30816, June 1, 2004; 77 FR 5383, Feb. 3, 2012]