GUIDANCE DOCUMENT 3
Emerald ash borer (EAB) was identified in Minnesota in May, 2009. It is a serious pest that has killed tens of millions of ash trees in the USA, causing significant damage and economic costs. For this reason, EAB is considered a regulated pest that involves restrictions at the state level.
A plant pest quarantine for EAB has been established in Minnesota by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). For the most current quarantine area, please check the Emerald Ash Borer Status map.
No regulated articles are legally allowed to be transferred outside of a quarantine area (untreated or treated) unless they are accompanied by a MDA Certificate. Certificates are only available when a Compliance Agreement (CA) is signed between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the entity (company, city, county, agency, or organization) that is interested in moving the regulated article.
Compliance Agreement
The purpose of a Compliance Agreement is to bring a person or firm into full compliance with the applicable requirements for handling regulated articles. Businesses involved in processing, wholesaling, retailing, shipping, carrying, or other similar actions will usually handle a regulated article in a manner that requires a Compliance Agreement.
The Compliance Agreement provides a written and signed agreement between a business handling regulated articles and the MDA. The Compliance Agreement confirms the person or firm’s understanding of the methods, conditions, and procedures necessary for compliance with quarantine regulations.
Agency staff will offer instruction on Compliance Agreement requirements, discuss with the facility owners or managers the methods of treatment, and help to document facility-specific procedures to meet the final requirements. In addition, if facility staff training is needed, agency staff may be able to provide the training. This possibility should be negotiated during these discussions.
Every Compliance Agreement for the EAB quarantine consists of the signed standard Compliance Agreement, and two attachments: 1) Standard Operating Procedures, and 2) Certificate.
Signed Standard Compliance Agreement
In most cases, MDA can use a federal form called “PPQ Form 519, Compliance Agreement” as the general and standard Compliance Agreement form for all businesses handling regulated articles. In some cases, MDA may issue a separate form based on the state law requirements for enforcement. In either case, the Compliance Agreement form lays out the standard requirements for moving a regulated article out of the quarantine safely, and consists of the following information:
- Name and mailing address of the person or firm entering into the Compliance Agreement with the MDA.
- Location of specific property for which the agreement is signed, if different from the mailing address.
- Type of regulated article that the person or firm will be handling. Regulated articles for EAB include: emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) itself, ash trees (Fraxinus sp.), ash limbs and branches, ash stumps and roots, ash logs, ash lumber, ash chips and ash bark chips, and firewood of any hardwood (non-coniferous) species.
- Applicable state regulations to ensure that the treatment will mitigate the risk of spread for EAB. In the case of EAB, these concern intrastate (or within the state) movement and interstate (or between state) movement regulations.
- Signature of responsible official of the business, title of same, and date signed. The business signature is needed before the agency signature(s). Two copies of the Compliance Agreement will require signing if the agreement is between MDA and the business.
- Signature of MDA State Plant Regulatory Official or official designee, title of same, and date signed.
Routine inspections by agency officials must be carried out prior to sale of treated regulated articles, or whenever a malfunction or alteration in the facility system warrants a certification inspection. Certification will be granted by agency officials on the basis of the ability of the facility to meet treatment requirements and pass the certification tests, in addition to the extent of the facility’s export safeguards to prevent re-infestation of treated wood and safety conditions.
For more information follow the link to Guidance Document 5, EAB Certificate Use.
