USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently issued an amended order on restricting movement of nursery stock from California production nurseries. This order has been amended following extensive negotiations between federal and state plant protection officials and replaces an earlier order issued April 9. ANLA's top goals now are to urge strong USDA leadership and full funding of a comprehensive national survey, quarantine work, research, and compensation for plant destruction and related losses.

According to Craig Regelbrugge, senior director of Government Relations at ANLA, “Today's action is not perfect, and the amended APHIS order will result in some short-term pain for both California growers and plant retailers across the country. Hopefully, as new measures are implemented over the next few days, the system will begin to return to normal. Yet, strong federal leadership is key, and USDA seems to be stepping up.”