EAB management for industry professionals

EAB has the ability to hurt professionals. Since it has been found, this tiny, invasive insect has killed millions of ash trees, created regulatory headaches and cost the forest products industries millions of dollars.

Now that EAB has been found in numerous counties across the state, the entire state is under a federal quarantine (November 2013). Therefore, anyone moving regulated articles outside the quarantine boundaries must meet regulatory guidelines. Limited permits, certificates and compliance agreements issued by USDA can facilitate handling and movement of regulated articles. Please contact USDA at 573-893-6833 for further information on the need, use, and/or to obtain permits, certificates, or compliance agreements.

Regulated articles include:

• Ash nursery stock
• Any part of an ash tree; including logs, green lumber, waste, compost, chips, etc.
• All species of hardwood firewood

It is critical that all forest users partner together to control this and other invasive pests. Below is a list of the most frequently asked questions concerning the compliance agreement and quarantine currently in place in Missouri.

Visit the harvest area frequently to ensure the terms of the contract are being fulfilled and to increase your knowledge of harvest operations. (Photo by Hank Stelzer, University of Missouri.)

What is a compliance agreement?

A compliance agreement is a document outlining an agreement between USDA APHIS PPQ, the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) and a logger or wood utilization firm. It shows that the firm recognizes that its normal practices might present a potential for the artificial spread of EAB, and that the firm will either transport or process regulated articles only under certain conditions. For their part, USDA APHIS PPQ and the MDA agrees they will assist the firm to meet the terms of the compliance agreement, which allows normal commerce to occur.

How do I know if I need a compliance agreement?

If you are a commercial firm looking to process articles from the quarantine areas, you can do so under the stipulations of a compliance agreement. Please contact USDA at 573-893-6833 to help determine your specific needs.

What are regulated articles?

All ash material — ash trees, nursery stock, limbs and branches, green lumber, waste, compost and chips of ash species — and all types of non-coniferous hardwood firewood.

What are the stipulations of a compliance agreement?

• Mills and loggers
  Ash logs cannot be moved out of Missouri to states not under a federal quarantine during the adult flight period (roughly April 1 through Sept. 30) unless fumigated, debarked or heat treated. From Oct. 1 through March 31, ash logs might be allowed to be moved to an approved mill with a compliance agreement outside of the quarantine area for processing by March 31. Bark and wood waste must be processed by March 31. These processes must be approved by state or federal agriculture agencies.
• Green lumber manufacturers
  Ash lumber will need to be processed in an approved manner, such as complete removal of bark (plus 1/2 inch of wood), kiln drying by approved standards or fumigation prior to distribution out of the quarantine area. All processes will need approval by state or federal agencies.
• Pallet producers
  Ash lumber used to make pallets will need to be processed in a manner approved by state or federal agencies.

Does this apply to other hardwood species of logs such as oak, maple, etc?

No, in log form, only ash logs are designated as a regulated article. However, moving all species of hardwood firewood is prohibited from Missouri to areas outside the federal quarantine.

Where can I get a compliance agreement?

To obtain a compliance agreement, please contact USDA at 573-893-6833.

How long does the compliance agreement last?

Compliance agreements are renewed annually. Compliance agreements will be monitored throughout the year by USDA or MDA inspectors and can be revoked as necessary for non-compliance.

Where is the federal quarantine in Missouri?

The entire state of Missouri is under a federal quarantine to prevent the accidental spread of the beetle to states not under quarantine. The quarantine prohibits the interstate (between states) movement of potentially-contaminated wood products: ash nursery stock; any part of an ash tree; including green lumber, waste, compost, chips, etc.; firewood cut from any species of hardwood.

What about Missouri, is there also a state quarantine?

The expansion to a statewide quarantine, effectively cancels the internal state EAB quarantine. For more information on quarantines, visit the state and federal quarantine section of this website.

So, what about intrastate (county to county) movement of the regulated products?

Although it is now legal for one to move these regulated products from a county where EAB is present to one where it has not yet been detected, we ask all Missourians to help us Slow the Spread of EAB by following the federal quarantine guidelines, especially when it comes to moving hardwood firewood. This one pathway is the way EAB entered Missouri in the first place. There are many communities statewide where ash trees make up a large percentage of their urban canopy. The longer we can keep EAB out of those communities, the more time they will have to develop a plan of attack.