EAB Quarantine Enacted on Houston County, Minnesota
Due to the proximity of the emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation in Victory, Wisconsin – Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has placed an emergency quarantine on Houston County, Minnesota. Emerald ash borer has not been discovered in Houston County, but with a known infestation only 1 mile from the border, it is only a matter of time until it’s presence in Houston County is discovered.
Visual surveys in Houston County by MDA, APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine, and Department of Natural Resources have not found any obvious signs of infestation. Dissection of declining ash in the southeastern part of the county and of detection trees elsewhere in the county have also not discovered any signs of EAB. MDA and our partners are in the process of setting up a more intensive survey in Houston County for this summer utilizing detection trees and purple traps.
The quarantine is effective as of April 22, 2009. The same articles are considered regulated as in other states with EAB quarantines:
1. The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis (Fairmaire), in any living stage of development.
2. Entire ash trees (Fraxinus spp.).
3. Ash limbs and branches.
4. Ash logs or untreated ash lumber with bark attached.
5. Uncomposted ash chips and uncomposted ash bark chips larger than one inch in diameter in two dimensions.
6. Any article, product or means of conveyance when it is determined by the Commissioner to present the risk of spread of the emerald ash borer.
7. Firewood of any non-coniferous (hardwood) species.
The quarantine applies to movement of these materials by any entity for commercial, recreational or any other purpose. There are opportunties forentities with a need to export articles out of a quarantined county to enter into compliance agreements with MDA to allow for movement of most of these articles provided they have been handled in such a way as to ensure they are free of living EAB.
Penalties for violating the quarantine are dependent on the situation and range from a formal notice of violation up to monetary fines. The quarantine will be enforced by working directly withaffected businesses, conducting random inspections of businesses, responding to reports of violations, and public outreach.
If you have questions, please direct them to MDA’s Arrest the Pest hotline. Please direct others with questions to the same.
“Arrest the Pest” Hotline
651-201-6684 – Metro Area
or
1-888-545-6684 – Greater Minnesota
Arrest.The.Pest@state.mn.us
MDA Press Release on EAB Quarantine in Houston County: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/news/releases/2009/nr-2009-04-22-eab.htm