|
Update on Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV)
Story Date: 10/30/2019
| |
Source: ASTA, 10/29/19
To: State Seed Associations
See the note below and please feel free to forward to your membership
ASTA Members:
ASTA has received notice that as early as next week APHIS will likely issue a Federal Order (FO) imposing new phytosanitary restrictions on tomato seed and fruit. The FO comes in response to the growing global threat of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) -- a highly virulent and aggressive virus that can cause severe infection on tomatoes and peppers. It is ASTA’s understanding that seed will not be banned, but it will either have to be tested off-shore (for now) or come from a country free of ToBRFV. The new restrictions would bring U.S. policies in line with trading partners including Argentina, Chile, and the European Union, which have indicated plans to amend their own entry requirements due to ToBRFV.
ASTA is working to gather information from its members regarding the expected impact of these potential phytosanitary restrictions. If you expect that your business will be impacted, please contact Ric Dunkle with details. This information will be extremely helpful in the association’s ongoing conversations with APHIS, seed testing labs and international officials/seed industry.
For more information on ToBRFV, a detailed Q&A document is now available on ASTA’s website. For questions, contact Ric Dunkle (rdunkle@betterseed.org)
|
|
|
|
