[MAIPC] Let's Work Together to Combat Threat to Forests from Non-Native Pests!

[Phytodoer at aol.com]

Dear Forest Pest  Mavens, 
I believe you agree  with me that non-native insects, pathogens, earthworms 
… and other organisms! …  pose significant threats to North America’s tree 
species and the complex  ecosystems of which they are such important 
components.   
I hope you also  agree that our society’s efforts to counter this threat 
fall far short of what  is needed.   
·         Official phytosanitary policies are not as strong as needed to 
prevent  introduction and spread of these tree-killing pests.   
·         Worse, those policies are not always enforced assertively – as I  
documented in my blog about a shipment of auto parts posted on 9 August.   
·         The Congress does not provide sufficient funds and other 
resources to  support active detection and response programs – either early in an 
invasion or  later. 
·         Businesses that import or trade in goods or packaging that can 
transport  pests are not held responsible for taking actions aimed at reducing 
the  likelihood of such transport or supporting recovery efforts. Opposing 
free trade  has become a hot button election issue but one of its worst 
impacts -- wholesale  movement of pests -- is never mentioned.  
As I noted in my  earlier blog, a key reason we see these weaknesses is 
because those who want  stronger programs have not had an effective voice in 
educating federal  policy-makers – the USDA secretary, senators, and members 
of Congress – about  the damage caused by introduced tree-killing pests and 
the governmental actions  needed to counter those impacts.  
The election  provides both a deadline and an opportunity. 
The deadline: we  should try to finalize some APHIS-proposed actions before 
this Administration  leaves office. Outgoing officials often feel freer to 
take bold actions at this  time. 
The opportunities:   
1)      New officials who take office in January might be open to 
addressing  “new” issues.  We must begin efforts  now to get our “asks” on their 
agenda.  Specifically, we should approach the  senators who will question 
appointees to  USDA Secretary and Under Secretary positions during their 
confirmation  processes.  We should urge them to  ask candidates  how they would  
address plant pests and to make firm, specific commitments to do so    
2)      Also, Congress is beginning to consider provisions to include in 
the next  Farm Bill (due to be passed by 2019). 
Several coalitions  work to raise the political profile of non-native, 
tree-killing pests, i.e., the  Coalition Against Forest Pests; Sustainable Urban 
Forestry Coalition; Reduce  Risk from Invasive Species Coalition; 
Continental Dialogue on Non-Native Forest  Insects and Diseases.   Many of  the 
nation-wide forest-related organizations are members of one or more of these  
coalitions and I work hard for many of them. They are absolutely essential. . . 
  
However, such “big  tent” coalitions are unlikely to press for  truly bold 
solutions, especially if new  policies  involve serious costs to  economic 
interests or industries that are part of their membership. There is  nothing 
nefarious in this; it is the way coalitions operate. In the case of  
forests pest issues, though, the absence of more forceful and nimble groups  
leaves a policy vacuum that no one currently  fills.   
Furthermore, these  coalitions don’t offer an opportunity to concerned 
individuals and smaller  organizations to learn about phytosanitary threats or 
provide them with  opportunities to influence policy.   
In the past, I have  tried to provide this information through my one-way 
emails and blog  postings.  I would like now to  upgrade these communications 
and to provide you with a way to interact with me  and others, as well as 
to form joint positions.  The goal is to re-balance the politics  of 
phytosanitary policy – so that our political leaders understand and support  both 
adoption and enforcement of strong, effective phytosanitary  measures. 
I suggest that we  form a new, loose “coalition of the willing” who are 
ready to speak up and seek  ways to stay abreast of developments and 
opportunities and to coordinate their  actions with those of like-minded people.  I 
suggest a loose structure – 
·         I undertake to set up an email network that everyone could use. 
It would:   
o   communicate  information about pest threats and opportunities to 
engage;   
o   communications could  be initiated by anyone in the group (either 
through a “reply all” function or my  promise to re-send any email sent to me -- 
with the request that I do  so); 
o   encourage people to  work together – with my assistance – to form 
joint  positions; 
o   provide lists of key  contacts for specific issues -- perhaps with  
specific talking points, letter  templates, etc., to help in reaching out; 
·         There would be no cost  to  participants;  
·         Participants could take part anonymously if they wish – either 
generally  or on specific issues;  
·         If there is sufficient interest or need, we could form a steering 
 committee to streamline and help guide the work;  
·         Our goal would be communications that are straight-forward and 
clear --  to each other and to policymakers -- while avoiding gratuitous 
insults or  insinuations. 
Examples of issues  on which I believe a new group could productively 
engage (and which the “big  tent” coalitions likely will avoid) are:  
·         Helping APHIS finalize its proposal to require that wood 
packaging coming  from Canada conform to ISPM#15 standards (see blog posted on 9 
August).  We need to press the USDA leadership to  approve the proposal; then 
press the Office of Management and Budget to approve  it. 
·         Press USDA to take two steps to improve enforcement of  ISPM#15: 
o   End the policy of  not fining importers for non-compliant wood 
packaging until they have five (!)  non-compliances within a single year. 
o   Declare wood  packaging to be a high-risk import and thus subject to 
mandatory inspection by  Customs  
·         Press Customs and Border Protection to include wood packaging 
compliance  under its Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT)  
program. 
·         Seek agreement on a strategy to encourage importers to shift to 
packaging  made from materials other than solid wood boards. Proposals range 
from new  regulatory requirements to C-TPAT to green certification-type 
voluntary  programs. 
I welcome  suggestions for other topics we might explore! 
Please let me know  that you would like to join this coalition.  Please  
feel free to forward this message and to  invite others to join in. 
Faith
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