Re: Proposed USDA rule on m
Patrick Madden (pmadden@igc.apc.org)
Wed, 8 Mar 1995 16:17:43 -0800
I totally concur that exotic species imported for biological control must
be quaranteened very carefully to prevent disastrous release of species
that do unanticipated harm. This is standard operational procedure for all
professionals working in this very important field of biological control, and
it should be required of all. This is not an unreasonable restraint on
non-chemical methods. It is just good biology. It also protects the
biological control field from becoming a "loose cannon," doing more harm than
good and discrediting the superb work done in the past and (despite savagely
reduce budgets) is going forward in a few locations. My only hope is that
a major increase in long-term funding be provided to support this kind of
work, including the taxonomy and systematics essential to proper identification
of both beneficial and pest species, as well as supporting explorations for
exotics and expediting responsible quaranteening. Most of the funds in recent
years have gone for other approaches, and biological control has suffered.
Patrick Madden
World Sustainable Agriculture Association