Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (last revised September 5, 2012) Page 1 

United States Department of Agriculture 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

Plant Protection and Quarantine 

December 3, 2012 

INTERSTATE MOVEMENT OF CITRUS AND OTHER RUTACEOUS PLANTS 

FOR PLANTING FROM AREAS QUARANTINED FOR 

CITRUS CANKER, CITRUS GREENING, OR ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID 

The interstate movement of citrus nursery stock is prohibited from areas quarantined for Citrus 

Canker (CC), Citrus Greening (CG), or Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) unless moved in accordance 

with (1) regulations contained in CFR §301.76, (2) all applicable State laws, and (3) the 

requirements below. This protocol provides conditions for the interstate movement of citrus 

nursery stock from quarantined areas, including provisions for unrestricted movement under 

certificate from areas quarantined for CC, CG, and ACP, and provisions for restricted movement 

from areas quarantined for ACP. 

I. General Requirements For Interstate Movement To All U.S. States From Areas 

Quarantined For CC, CG, or ACP: 

A. In addition to these general requirements, the conditions of Sections II, III, and/or IV 

must be met for the interstate movement of citrus nursery stock under certificate to all 

areas of the United States from CC, CG, and ACP quarantine areas, respectively, 

except as provided otherwise in Section V. 

B. If an area is quarantined for more than one of the indicated pests, the more stringent 

of the requirements in Sections II, III, or IV will apply, as determined by an inspector. 

C. Compliance Agreements and Certificates. 

1. Any person engaged in growing, processing, handling, or moving citrus nursery 

stock in an area quarantined for CC, CG, or ACP must enter into a compliance 

agreement1

 with APHIS if he or she wishes to move citrus nursery stock 

interstate. 

                                                           

1 In the compliance agreement, the person agrees that the movement of citrus nursery stock will be in accordance with this 

protocol, subject to monitoring and audits by the State or APHIS regulatory official. Such persons must agree to handle, pack,

process, treat, and move citrus nursery stock in accordance with this protocol; to use all permits and certificates in accordance 

with instructions; and to maintain and offer for inspection such records as may be required. Compliance agreements may be 

arranged by contacting a local office of Plant Protection and Quarantine, APHIS, online at: 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/services/report_pest_disease/report_pest_disease.shtml (listed in local telephone directories), or by 

contacting APHIS, PPQ, Pest Management, 4700 River Road, Unit 137, Riverdale, Maryland 20737-1236. 
Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (last revised September 5, 2012) Page 2 

2. Citrus nursery stock may only be shipped interstate to all U.S. States if 

accompanied by a certificate2

 issued by an inspector verifying that all 

conditions of this protocol and any additional requirements stipulated in the 

compliance agreement have been met. A copy of the certificate must be 

attached to the consignee’s copy of the accompanying waybill. 

3. A certificate or compliance agreement that has been issued may be withdrawn, 

either orally or in writing, by an inspector if he or she determines that the holder 

of the certificate or compliance agreement has not complied with all conditions 

in this protocol. If the withdrawal is oral, the withdrawal and the reasons for the 

withdrawal will be confirmed in writing as promptly as circumstances allow. 

Any person whose certificate or compliance agreement has been withdrawn 

may appeal the decision in writing to the Administrator within 10 days after 

receiving the written notification of the withdrawal. The appeal must state all of 

the facts and reasons upon which the person relies to show that the certificate or 

compliance agreement was wrongfully cancelled. The Administrator must grant 

or deny the appeal, in writing, stating the reasons for the decision, as promptly 

as circumstances allow. If there is a conflict as to any material fact, a hearing 

will be held to resolve the conflict. Rules of practice concerning the hearing 

will be adopted by the Administrator. 

D. Facility. 

1. Except as noted in Sections II and V, all citrus nursery stock for interstate 

shipment must be produced in an exclusionary facility as described below. 

2. Based on a systems approach as recommended by Risk Management 

Assessment (RMA), the facility must be designed and constructed to exclude 

quarantine pests and diseases. The owner of the facility is responsible for 

maintaining the integrity of the facility and ensuring it remains pest-free. 

APHIS must be notified immediately if any breaches are detected. Each 

facility must have a minimum buffer area to permit reasonable access for 

inspection and equipment. Entryways must be designed and constructed to 

exclude pests. All facility emergency exit doors must be marked ‘Emergency 

Exit Only’ and not used as an entrance. Design may include, but not be 

limited to screening with openings approximately 0.3 square millimeters (e.g. 

0.547 x 0.547, or 0.5 x 0.6) or less in size, forced air curtains, and double door 

positive air pressure compartments. Exterior screenhouse air sources utilized 

to create positive pressure may be covered with approximately 0.3 square 

millimeter (or less) screening to exclude pests. 

                                                           

2 A certificate is a document, stamp, or other means of identification approved by APHIS and issued by an inspector when he or 

she finds that because of certain conditions, a regulated article can be moved safely from an area quarantined for the indicated 

pest or disease without spreading the pest or disease. This certificate authorizes the interstate movement of citrus nursery stock 

and is therefore provided pursuant to the provisions of the Plant Protection Act (PPA) of 2000, as amended, 7 USC 7001 et seq., 

and anyone issuing such a certificate must comply with all of the applicable provisions of the PPA including 7 USC 7734.
Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (last revised September 5, 2012) Page 3 

3. A compartmentalized facility may grow eligible citrus nursery stock and noneligible citrus nursery stock under one roof. The eligible plants must have 

effective and comparable protections that have been determined by APHIS to 

ensure that the plants were maintained in a manner to prevent the introduction 

of quarantine pests and diseases. 

E. Clean Stock Program Source Material. All citrus nursery stock produced for 

interstate movement must originate from an APHIS-approved State certified clean 

stock program3

. To be approved by APHIS, such programs must use source material 

that has undergone therapy, and must be tested, inspected, and found negative for 

pests of quarantine significance. Plants must be grown inside the facility. For 

rutaceous plants this means grown from seed or budwood. Only budwood and seed 

may enter a facility. The citrus nursery stock must be maintained inside the facility 

for its entire life until the stock is sold. 

F. Safeguarding and Sanitation. 

1. All facilities, containers, or conveyances where citrus nursery stock that is 

eligible for interstate movement under this protocol is grown, stored, or 

shipped must be free of all extraneous plant material and must be cleaned, 

and/or treated to ensure freedom from pests and diseases prior to the entry of 

nursery stock eligible for interstate movement or other clean plant material. 

2. Citrus nursery stock eligible for interstate movement under certificate in 

accordance with this protocol may not enter or be grown, stored, or shipped in 

the same facility,4 container, or conveyance as other citrus nursery stock that 

does not meet the requirements of this protocol or citrus nursery stock from 

ACP quarantined areas eligible for interstate movement in accordance with 

Section V of this protocol. If citrus nursery stock eligible for interstate 

movement enters, is grown, stored, or shipped in the same facility, containers, 

or conveyance as other citrus nursery stock or is otherwise commingled with 

or exposed to such citrus nursery stock, all plants are prohibited interstate 

shipment. 

3. Vehicles and other equipment entering facilities must be free of all extraneous 

plant material and soil and cleaned to ensure that the facility remains free of 

pests. 

4. The facility where citrus nursery stock is produced for interstate movement 

must have procedures in place that are designed to protect the material from 

the introduction of pests while loading takes place. Procedures can consist of 

                                                           

3

 The use of the term “Clean Stock Program” is for the purposes of this protocol only. This is not intended to prescribe an APHIS 

standard for clean stock programs, generally. 

4

 Compartmentalized facilities may grow citrus nursery stock eligible for interstate movement in accordance with this protocol 

and non-eligible citrus nursery stock under one roof only if the eligible plants have effective and comparable protections that

have been determined by APHIS to ensure that the plants were maintained in a manner to prevent the introduction of the 

quarantine disease(s). 
Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (last revised September 5, 2012) Page 4 

treatments, protective sleeves, covered loading areas, pest-exclusionary 

loading areas, etc. Loading must take place in a manner that allows for 

minimal exposure to the outside environment. 

5. When removing citrus nursery stock for interstate movement, the plants must 

be loaded from the facility into a solid-sided, sealable shipping container or 

conveyance in a manner that is designed to exclude the entry of pests. 

G. Labeling. Each rutaceous plant being moved interstate must be labeled with adequate 

identifying information to permit trace-back to each premise on which the plants were 

grown. 

H. Recordkeeping. Facilities must maintain records of inspections, treatments, invoices, 

and shipments made under this protocol and make the records available to APHIS 

upon request. Each facility must maintain all records for at least 3 years after 

shipment of the nursery stock interstate. 

I. Access by Inspectors. Facility owners and employees must allow inspectors access to 

the facility to ensure compliance with this protocol. 

II. Requirements For Interstate Movement From Citrus Canker (CC) Quarantined 

 Areas To All U.S. States: 

A. Facility. Citrus nursery stock must be grown in a facility that meets the requirements 

of Section I. D. of this protocol. Additionally, the facility must be designed and 

constructed to exclude citrus canker and be resistant to wind-blown rain. Each 

facility must have a buffer area with a minimum of 100 feet around the facility that is 

free of rutaceous plant material. If 100 feet is not feasible, a minimum buffer area of 

25 feet is allowed if the side of the screenhouse facing rutaceous plant material is 

constructed a with water-proof wall, or double-walled constructed with a minimum of 

a 4-inch space between each screen. 

B. Sanitation. 

1. Prior to entering the facility where citrus nursery stock is grown for interstate 

movement, personnel must disinfect hands and arms and spray clothing and 

footwear with a product approved by APHIS to be effective against citrus 

canker. 

2. Vehicles, equipment, and other articles used to handle or move citrus nursery 

stock must be must be treated in accordance with Title 7, Code of Federal 

Regulations, part 305, upon entering the premises. 

C. Visual Inspection, Testing, and Detection. 

1. Plants for interstate movement in the facility must be visually inspected by an 

inspector every 30 calendar days for symptoms of citrus canker. Citrus 

nursery stock must be subjected to at least 3 inspection cycles to be eligible 

for interstate movement. 
Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (last revised September 5, 2012) Page 5 

2. All plants showing symptoms of citrus canker upon inspection must be tested 

by a specialist certified by APHIS at a laboratory approved by APHIS using a 

protocol approved by APHIS; plants must be held in the facility until the test 

results are returned. 

3. If CC is detected in a facility under compliance agreement to ship citrus 

nursery stock interstate, APHIS must be notified immediately of the findings. 

a. If no compartmentalization exits within the facility, all citrus nursery 

stock contained within that facility is prohibited from interstate 

shipment. All plants must be removed from the facility and the 

facility will be required to undergo APHIS-approved treatment 

measures before any additional plant material eligible for interstate 

movement under this section is allowed entry. 

b. If compartmentalization of the facility exists, APHIS will complete a 

risk assessment to determine regulatory response. All plants will be 

prohibited from movement out of the facility until completion of the 

risk assessment. 

III. Requirements For Interstate Movement From Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) Quarantined 

 Areas To All U.S. States: 

A. Facility. Citrus nursery stock must be grown in a facility that meets the requirements 

of Section I. D. of this protocol. 

B. Visual Inspection, Trapping, and Detection. 

1. Plants in the facility must be visually inspected every 30 days for the presence 

of ACP using methods approved by APHIS and stipulated in the compliance 

agreement, and any detections of ACP or other quarantine pests must be 

reported to APHIS immediately. 

2. Inspection methods may include, but not be limited to: 

a. Yellow sticky panels 

b. Vacuum suction of plants 

c. Tapping of plants 

d. Other methods approved by APHIS 

3. If ACP is detected in a facility: 

a. No further shipments under this section will be allowed from the 

facility until APHIS provides authorization. 

b. If compartmentalization of the facility exists, APHIS will complete a 

risk assessment to determine regulatory response. 

c. If compartmentalization does not exist, citrus nursery stock may only 

be moved interstate to States that are not citrus producing States in 
Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (last revised September 5, 2012) Page 6 

accordance with Section V of this protocol. All citrus nursery stock 

must be removed from the facility and the facility will be required to 

undergo APHIS-approved treatment measures before any additional 

plant material eligible for interstate movement under this section is 

allowed entry. 

C. Treatment. 

1. All citrus nursery stock must be treated with an APHIS-approved systemic 

insecticide (soil drench) at least 30 days but no more than 3 months (90 days) 

before shipment. This must be followed by an APHIS-approved foliar spray 

no more than 10 days before shipment. Treatment must be with an APHISand EPA-approved product labeled for use in nurseries. Persons applying 

treatments must follow the product label, its applicable directions, and all 

restrictions and precautions, including statements pertaining to Worker 

Protection Standards. 

2. Treatments must be verified by APHIS or State personnel. 

D. Eligibility for Shipment. Citrus nursery stock for interstate movement must be 

subjected to at least 3 inspection cycles (at least 2 monthly inspections and 1 

shipment inspection). The citrus nursery stock must be maintained inside the facility 

for its entire life until the nursery stock is sold. 

IV. Requirements For Interstate Movement From Citrus Greening (CG) Quarantined 

 Areas To All U.S. States: 

A. Facility. Citrus nursery stock must be grown in a facility that meets the requirements 

of Section I. D. of this protocol. 

B. Visual Inspection, Tissue Testing, and Detection. 

1. Plants in the facility, including mother plants, must be visually inspected by 

inspectors every 30 days for the presence of ACP and CG in accordance with 

a compliance agreement. In addition: 

a. All plants must be sampled and tested for CG every 6 months by a 

specialist certified by APHIS at a laboratory approved by APHIS using 

a CG protocol approved by APHIS. Plants must be held on the 

premises until the CG test results are returned. 

b. Inspection methods for ACP may include, but not be limited to, yellow 

stick panels, vacuum suction of plants, tapping of plants, or other 

methods approved by APHIS. 

c. Any detection of ACP and CG or other quarantine pests must be 

reported to APHIS immediately. 
Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (last revised September 5, 2012) Page 7 

2. If ACP is detected in a facility: 

a. No further shipments under this section will be allowed from the 

facility until APHIS provides authorization. 

b. If compartmentalization of the facility exists, APHIS will complete a 

risk assessment to determine regulatory response, and all plants will be 

prohibited from movement out of the facility until completion of the 

risk assessment. 

c. If compartmentalization does not exist, APHIS will complete a risk 

assessment to determine the regulatory response. Based on results of 

the risk assessment: 

i. All citrus nursery stock must be held in the facility and 

inspected and tested for the presence of CG with negative 

results every six (6) months for 1 year prior to release for 

interstate movement; or 

ii. All citrus nursery stock in the facility is prohibited from 

interstate movement. All citrus nursery stock must be removed 

from the facility and the facility would be required to undergo 

APHIS-approved treatment measures before any additional 

plant material eligible for interstate movement under this 

section is allowed entry. 

3. If CG is detected in a facility: 

a. No further shipments under this section will be allowed from the 

facility until APHIS provides authorization. 

b. If compartmentalization of the facility exists, APHIS will complete a 

risk assessment to determine regulatory response. 

c. If compartmentalization does not exist, all citrus nursery stock in the 

facility is prohibited from interstate movement. All citrus nursery 

stock must be removed from the facility and the facility will be 

required to undergo APHIS-approved treatment measures before any 

additional plant material eligible for interstate movement under this 

section is allowed entry. 

C. Eligibility for Movement. Citrus nursery stock for interstate movement must be 

subjected to at least 2 sampling and testing cycles with negative results. 

V. Provisions For Restricted Interstate Movement From Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) 

 Quarantined Areas For Citrus Nursery Stock Not Grown In Screenhouses 

A. Citrus nursery stock moved interstate under the provisions of this section may only be 

moved to non-citrus producing States in accordance with the requirements below. 

1. The area quarantined also must not be under quarantine for citrus greening. 

2. Citrus nursery stock may be moved in accordance with the requirements 

below: 
Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (last revised September 5, 2012) Page 8 

a. All citrus nursery stock must be inspected every 30 days, and any 

finding of ACP must be reported to APHIS immediately. 

b. All citrus nursery stock must be treated with an APHIS-approved 

systemic insecticide (soil drench) at least 30 days but no more than 3 

months (90 days) before shipment. This must be followed by an 

APHIS-approved foliar spray no more than 10 days before shipment. 

Treatments must be verified by APHIS or State personnel. Treatment 

must be with an APHIS- and EPA-approved product labeled for use in 

nurseries. Persons applying treatments must follow the product label, 

its applicable directions, and all restrictions and precautions, including 

statements pertaining to Worker Protection Standards. 

c. Each rutaceous plant being moved interstate must be labeled with 

adequate identifying information to permit trace-back to each premises 

on which the plants were grown. 

d. Facilities must maintain records of inspections, treatments, invoices, 

and shipments made under this protocol and make the records 

available to APHIS upon request. Each facility must maintain all 

records for at least 3 years after shipment of the citrus nursery stock 

interstate. 

e. Any person engaged in growing, processing, handling, or moving 

citrus nursery stock in an area quarantined for ACP must enter into a 

compliance agreement with APHIS if he or she wishes to move citrus 

nursery stock interstate. 

f. Citrus nursery stock may only be shipped interstate in accordance with 

this section if accompanied by a limited permit issued by an inspector 

verifying that all conditions of this protocol and any additional 

requirements stipulated in the compliance agreement have been met. 

A copy of the limited permit must be attached to the consignee’s copy 

of the accompanying waybill. 

i. A limited permit is a document in which an inspector affirms 

that the regulated article not eligible for a certificate is eligible 

for interstate movement only to a specified destination and in 

accordance with conditions specified on the permit. 

ii. A limited permit that has been issued may be withdrawn, either 

orally or in writing, by an inspector if he or she determines that 

the holder of the limited permit has not complied with all 

conditions in this protocol. If the withdrawal is oral, the 

withdrawal and the reasons for the withdrawal will be 

confirmed in writing as promptly as circumstances allow. Any 

person whose limited permit has been withdrawn may appeal 

the decision in writing to the Administrator within 10 days 

after receiving the written notification of the withdrawal. The 

appeal must state all of the facts and reasons upon which the 

person relies to show that the limited permit was wrongfully 

cancelled. The Administrator must grant or deny the appeal, in 

writing, stating the reasons for the decision, as promptly as 
Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (last revised September 5, 2012) Page 9 

circumstances allow. If there is a conflict as to any material 

fact, a hearing will be held to resolve the conflict. Rules of 

practice concerning the hearing will be adopted by the 

Administrator. 

B. Nursery stock from an ACP-quarantined area as outlined in this section of the 

protocol (Section V) may be moved to another ACP-quarantined area if all of the 

requirements in Sections V. A. are met. 

C. Nursery stock from an ACP-quarantined area as outlined in this section of the 

protocol (Section V) may transit through a commercial citrus-producing State under 

the following conditions: 

1. Nursery stock must meet all of the requirements in Section V. A.; 

2. Nursery stock must be inspected by an inspector at the time of loading, and if 

one or more live ACP are detected, shipment shall be prohibited; 

3. Adequate safeguarding measures must be arranged by the shipper and 

approved by an inspector to ensure that each conveyance is sealed with an 

agricultural seal applied by an inspector at origin and removed at destination 

by an inspector; and 

4. Seals must remain intact from origin to destination ensuring that the 

conveyance is not opened until it reaches the destination identified on the 

limited permit. 

Definitions 

Note: The definitions apply to the entire protocol document. 

Breach. Any circumstance that would allow free access by federally-regulated pests into a 

facility, container, package or means of conveyance. 

Citrus Nursery Stock. Any live rutaceous plant or plant part, except seed, used to produce plants 

for planting including budwood, foundation grove trees, scion grove trees, increase block trees, 

nursery production block trees, tissue culture, seed source trees, top-working material, and 

cuttings/air layerings for interstate movement. 

Compartmentalized Facility. A facility that is divided into distinct compartments and which has 

been determined by an APHIS inspector to be of adequate design and construction to ensure 

pest-freedom of any compartment where plants for interstate movement are grown. 

Facility. A screenhouse, greenhouse, or other fully enclosed structure that has been approved by 

an APHIS inspector to ship plants interstate and that meets all applicable requirements of this 

protocol. 

Inspector. An employee of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or other individual 

authorized by the Administrator of APHIS to enforce the provisions of this protocol. 

Interstate. From any State into or through any other State. 
Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (last revised September 5, 2012) Page 10 

Limited Permit. A document in which an inspector affirms that the regulated article not eligible 

for a certificate is eligible for interstate movement only to a specified destination and in 

accordance with conditions specified on the permit. 

Commercial Citrus Producing States. American Samoa, Arizona, California, Florida, Guam, 

Hawaii, Louisiana, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Texas, and U.S. Virgin Islands. 

State. The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, or any State, 

territory, or possession of the United States.