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Claude Knighten (301) 734-5271

Jerry Redding (202) 720-4623

**USDA ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF CITRUS CANKER SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION**

WASHINGTON, April 5, 2006--The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today published for public
comment the findings of its citrus canker evaluation, which concludes
that asymptomatic fruit is an unlikely pathway for the further spread of
the disease. Fruit that shows no signs of citrus canker is referred to
as asymptomatic fruit.

The scientific evaluation affirms an underlying principle of the
recently released draft Citrus Health Response Plan, that asymptomatic
fruit does not pose a threat to other citrus producing areas because it
does not further spread the disease. This finding is specific to
commercially produced citrus fruit that has been treated with
disinfectant dips and subjected to other mitigations. Even if infected
fruit were to enter a citrus canker-free area with susceptible hosts,
the evaluation found that the likelihood of establishment of the disease
through this pathway is remote. The evaluation will now undergo a peer
review to confirm these findings.

According to the evaluation, even if viable disease-producing organisms
were present, it is highly unlikely that the necessary environmental and
physiological conditions for disease development would be present at the
precise time infected citrus was placed in close proximity to a citrus
tree. In addition, empirical data further reinforces the conclusion that
the likelihood of spreading citrus canker via movement of asymptomatic
fruit is extremely low.

Last month, APHIS announced the availability of its draft Citrus Health
Response Plan, which marks a new approach for sustaining Florida's
citrus industry that would enable growers to produce asymptomatic fruit
in the presence of citrus canker. The draft plan would establish an area
wide compliance program and identify minimum standards for implementing
appropriate survey, diagnostics and mitigation measures to reduce the
proliferation and spread of citrus canker.

In addition to sustaining Florida's citrus industry, the goal of the
plan is to safeguard other citrus producing states against the spread of
citrus canker. This scientific evaluation could serve as the basis for
interstate and international trade in citrus fruit from areas with
citrus canker, following a formal rulemaking process. The draft Citrus
Health Response Plan is available at:
<http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pdmp/citrushealth/>.

The 2004 and 2005 hurricanes spread citrus canker so extensively that it
was determined on Jan. 10, 2006, that eradication was no longer a
scientifically feasible option. At that time, the

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established program was modified to stop the practice of destroying
trees within 1,900 feet of an infected tree for the purpose of
eradication. Tree removal is no longer mandatory, whether or not a tree
is infected.

Notice of this evaluation is scheduled for publication in the April 6
*Federal Register.*

Consideration will be given to comments received on or before June 5.
Send an original and three copies of postal mail or commercial delivery
comments to Docket No. APHIS- 2006-0045 Regulatory Analysis and
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. If you wish to review the evaluation or submit
a comment using the Internet, go to the Federal eRulemaking portal at
http://www.regulations.gov and, in the "Search for Open Regulation" box,
select "Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service" from the agency
drop-down menu, then click on "Submit." In the Docket ID column, select
APHIS-2006-0045 to submit or view public comments and to view supporting
and related materials available electronically.

Comments are posted on the Regulations.gov Web site and may also be
reviewed at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th St. and Independence
Ave., SW, Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding holidays. To facilitate entry into the comment reading
room, please call (202) 690-2817.

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