Plant Services

 

Who We Are

Associate Director: Jack Peterson
[email protected]
(602) 542-3575

Administrative Assistant: Melisa Davis
[email protected]
(602) 542-0994

 


What We Do

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.



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).


 

File a Complaint

File a complaint or report suspicious plant pests, diseases or other activity.


Local PSS Offices - Regional Operations


For counties: Maricopa, Apache, Coconino, Gila, Navajo, Pinal and Yavapai

Phoenix Operational Unit
Keith Miller, Operations Manager
[email protected]

1110 W. Washington St., Ste. 450
Phoenix, AZ 85007

(602) 542-7184

Fax: (602) 542-1004


For counties: Pima, Cochise, Graham, Greenlee and Santa Cruz

Tucson Operational Unit
Edward Carr, Operations Manager
[email protected]

400 W. Congress, Suite 124
Tucson, AZ 85701

(520) 628-6315


For counties: Yuma, La Paz and Mohave

Yuma Operational Unit
Nestor Moyon, Operations Manager
[email protected]

1931 S. Arizona Ave., Suite 4
Yuma, AZ 85364

(928) 341-1680


Partners

The Arizona Plant Diagnostic Network is designed to link growers and master gardeners with plant experts in your community and with plant scientists at the University of Arizona. These experts are available to answer questions about plant health as well as help identify new and emerging plant pests and pathogens in Arizona. The overall goal is to make the public more aware of incoming threats to the plants and produce in our State.

 

Important Documents

PSS_Sell_Sheet_CY22.pdf Download
Get Email Updates With The Latest News