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2008 Policy Book
First | Previous | Next | Last | 2008 Index | Policy Book Archive#33 PLANT PESTS AND DISEASES
Plant agriculture is being severely impacted by infestations of pests and diseases. Plant pests and diseases create quarantine situations which can or will restrict both intra and interstate marketing opportunities.
We support research to do the following:
- Industry-led efforts to control and prevent crop losses due to plant pests and diseases.
- The development of regulatory protocol, inspection procedures and pest control methods to allow for the shipment of quarantined commodities.
- Develop new chemical and biological controls for disease detection and eradication, including emerald ash borer.
- Enhance the use of natural plant pest predator species or bio-controls after thoroughly reviewing the potential consequences to the environment.
- Determine the impact of emerald ash borer on healthy natural forest stands that includes an evaluation of methods to control or suppress emerald ash borer to manageable levels.
- Address viable control methods for phytophthora capsici, downy mildew, and armarillia root fungus.
- Address replant issues in the asparagus industry.
Additionally, we support:
- Indemnification for losses of farm income when agricultural commodities or products are impounded, farms are quarantined or sales are restricted in the public interest.
- Direct and/or indirect compensation to producers for sudden market loss due to invasive species, including, but not limited to, emerald ash borer.
- The concept of a zero interest/fixed loan program to assist producers in the event of a sudden market loss due to invasive species.
- Testing for vomitoxin in seed corn field trials and we encourage ethanol plant operators to spot-check for vomitoxin in corn entering the plant and DDGs leaving the plant.
- An industry-driven comprehensive rewrite of Michigan's Plant Pest Protection Act.
We request a report from the Michigan Department of Agriculture on the state administered emerald ash borer program. The evaluation should include an accounting of how state and federal funds have been allocated and projections for future funding needs. Special attention should be given to maintaining control barriers at critical transmission gateways, such as the Mackinaw Bridge.
