Re: Proposed USDA rule on m
Michael J. Ghia (mghia@moose.uvm.edu)
Wed, 8 Mar 1995 20:33:06 -0500 (EST)
I have been a bit confused by this discussion. Doesn't APHIS already
regulate the movement of these organisms? How exactly does this
regulation differ from what is presently on the books. I remember
talking to someone at the Phillip Alampi Beneficial Insect Rearing Lab in
New Jersey (which is either a State or Federal Lab, or both?) a couple
years ago about all the quarantines, research and tight controls that they
had to go through before they could import a foreign species such as a
parasitic wasp for potential use as a biocontrol--to prevent (or at least
make it less likely) that it
would become another gypsy moth or chesnut blight, etc. problem. I agree
that we need to be cautious in this area, but it seems that USDA has
already been addressing this with present regulations. Maybe I missed a
past posting (I admit that I don't ready everything that comes through),
but has someone printed the text of the regulation and/or an explanation
of why USDA finds it necessary, and how it differs from present regs.
Mike UVM