Overview

The Plant Services Section safeguards agriculture, food and the environment from the risks associated with the entry, establishment and spread of plant pests, diseases and noxious weeds thereby promoting agricultural sustainability, market access and competitiveness.

Increased execution of various trade agreements has resulted in a higher incidence of trade into and out of the United States and, subsequently, Arizona. Many pests common to foreign countries present a significant threat to Arizona's agricultural industry, public well-being and associated quality of life. As more commerce enters Arizona, and significant weather events continue, the risk of introducing plant pests or diseases from other states or foreign countries increases.

Mission

The Environmental and Plant Services Division protects human life, the environment and the agriculture industry in Arizona by preventing the introduction of plant pests, early identification of plant pests, and facilitating interstate and international commerce through an effective phytosanitary program.  It ensures adherence to state and federal regulations related to the production, sales and handling of animal feed, seeds, fertilizers, and pesticide products.  It also ensures the monitoring and proper use of pesticides which includes enforcing regulations that protect those who handle and work where pesticides are applied.

Market Access A number of states and countries have specific phytosanitary and quarantine requirements for agricultural crops grown in Arizona. These requirements could limit a producer’s ability to access these markets if not monitored, tested, inspected, and certified. The Plant Services Section provides a number of certification services to facilitate the export of qualifying commodities that include nursery stock, tree nuts, seed products, produce, and more.

Safeguarding

Introduction of non-native plant pests can have devastating effects on the yield of agricultural and horticultural commodities, and can increase industry production costs through pesticide applications for eradication or control of destructive pests. Plant pests reduce the quality of products and threaten the demand for Arizona products.

Arizona continues to enjoy freedom from numerous exotic pests that have cost infested states millions of dollars in attempted control or eradication. Through efforts to exclude, detect and mitigate exotic species establishment, the Plant Services Section protects the quality of Arizona agriculture and market access for our agricultural commodities produced here.

Protection of domestic crops, natural resources, and residential landscapes from invasion by exotic pests is an extremely important component of our agricultural safeguarding system. Safeguarding is achieved, in part, through structured, targeted, passive pest detection trapping schemes that efficiently determine the presence or absence of high-risk, high-impact pests of concern not known to occur in Arizona. Trapping programs act as an early detection system which can allow the pest mitigation process to be implemented early and the chances for successful eradication are improved. Maintaining a ‘Free-from” status for specific pests is essential in allowing continued domestic and global market access.

Regulatory restrictions safeguard Arizona’s agricultural commodities by providing guidelines by which regulated material can, or cannot, be move into and/or within the state that are not covered under Federal regulation. These restrictions come in the form of statute (Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S)) and rule (Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.)). Regulatory authority on international trade resides with USDA-APHIS under regulations found in the code of federal regulation (7 CFR).