North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[rob hamilton <lostman_amiga@yahoo.com>]

Sherry Loudermilk <sherry@ggia.org> wrote:
>  Support a USDA-APHIS PPQ  Inspection Station at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport 
>
>
> About two years ago, USDA-APHIS PPQ - Atlanta was authorized as a port through which plants and seeds could be imported.  At that time, there was an expectation that a fully operational plant inspection station could be constructed in a existing building that is adjacent to the Perishables Complex. Unfortunately, that work was put on hold last year due to a limited amount of funds available for this and several other plant inspection station projects around the country.  
>
>
> Currently, the Plant Inspection Station in Atlanta is open, but with a very limited capacity.  Plant inspections are being performed in a "make shift"
> inspection area within the Atlanta-Hartsfield
>  Perishable Complex.  This temporary set up does not meet our normal plant inspection station
> standards and, as a result, imports are limited to a short list of low risk plants.
>  
> Indications from a number of you who have import interests show strong support for a fully functioning plant inspection station positioned in Atlanta and that such a station could benefit the nursery industry across the eastern U.S.  With the number of direct flights to and from Atlanta and international destinations today and considering the concentration of nurseries throughout the eastern U.S., a fully operational PPQ Station here in Atlanta could prove extremely important to the horticulture industry.  Currently, the majority of PPQ inspections for inbound shipments are going through the Miami, FL station with limited numbers going through Orlando, FL.  
>
>
> To help USDA prioritize the plan to build a fully functioning plant inspection station in Atlanta against similar
>  projects elsewhere, it is important for my Agency to know what benefits your organization and members would derive from having a plant inspection station in Atlanta.  Even more helpful would be future projections of plant imports (in terms of plant/seed volume or dollars) through Atlanta, if that option were available to nurserymen and plant importers.   Strong support for an inspection station in Atlanta will be needed in order to secure the needed funding.  Without industry's support, I am concerned that Atlanta's authorization as a plant inspection station port will be withdrawn. 
>  
> How can you help support this initiative?   USDA-APHIS Atlanta is asking for industry response through a one-page survey.   It would be helpful for individual nurseries, plant importers, brokers and others who have import interests to complete the survey which is now on the SNA WebSite and the following location:   (Note:  this is a small one-page PDF Form... approx. size=
>  128k)
>
>
> http://www.sna.org/Survey_ATL_Plant_Inspect_Station.pdf
>
>
> Please take a few minutes and download the Survey Form and fax it to:
>
>
> Carlos E. Perez
> USDA/APHIS, PPQ
> Supervisory Officer in Charge
> 1270 Woolman Place
> Atlanta, GA 3054
> Fax: 404-564-2319
> mailto:ceperez@aphis.usda.gov
>
>
> Please help us buy sending this on to anyone who you know might have import business interests.  Thank you for taking a few minutes to provide your response to this important initiative!  
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
> Sherry
>
>
> Sherry Loudermilk, Executive Director
> Georgia Green Industry Association
> TO UNSUBSCRIBE: leave-wintergreen@mh.databack.com



--------------------------------------------
Now Zone 8a!!  Atlanta, GA

Atlanta Fruits Club                                        www.groups.yahoo.com/atlanta_fruits
North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX)                          
 www.NAFEX.org
Southern Fruit Fellowship (SFF)                                          www.NAFEX.org/SFF
Southeastern Palm and Exotic Plant Society (SPEPS)   
www.SPEPS.net
California Rare Fruit Growers
www.crfg.org

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