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In order to protect the agricultural industries of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry has adopted the following regulations for shipment of vegetable plants into New Jersey.

VEGETABLE PLANTS

Diseased or infested plants deemed nuisance; entry requirement

All vegetable plants shipped into the State of New Jersey must be certified to have been grown under an official certificate program of the state of origin, or to have been inspected and certified to be apparently free of injurious insects, nematodes and plant diseases on the basis of an inspection no more than five days prior to removal from the soil.

All plants certified as prescribed above must be accompanied by an official certificate so stating attached to each included crate, basket or other container.

Any person importing vegetable plants into the State of New Jersey shall notify the Department of Agriculture of such shipment prior to, or with-in twenty four hours after arrival of the shipment.

TOMATO PLANTS

In order to control the movement into New Jersey of late blight (Phytophthora infestans) and of bacterial diseases: bacterial spot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria), bacterial speck (Pseudomonas syrinagae pv. tomato) and bacterial canker (Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis), the following specifications apply to the admission of tomato plants into New Jersey from all states where tomato plants are produced for shipment into New Jersey.

Conditions governing the production of tomato plants to be shipped to New Jersey

Production and packing of greenhouse grown plants shall be on raised benches. Reasonable management attention shall be given to maintaining the proper temperature and humidity, which will minimize conditions favorable to the late blight disease.

All seed shall be tested or treated for bacterial diseases.

From the time the tomato seedlings produce their first pair of true leaves, plants shall be sprayed with antibiotic sprays labeled for use on tomato plants at 4 to 5 day intervals until pulling following a schedule recommended by the state's cooperative extension service, satisfactory to state plant regulatory officials or other official certifying agencies, as appropriate for bacterial disease control.

From the time the tomato seedlings produce their first pair of true leaves, plants shall be sprayed with fungicide sprays (maneb, mancozeb or other labeled equivalent) at 4 to 5 day intervals, unless otherwise directed on the fungicide label, until pulling following a schedule recommended by the state's cooperative extension service, satisfactory to state plant regulatory officials or other official certifying agencies, as appropriate for late blight control.

For purposes of aphid, leafhopper, thrips, white fly, mite and other insect control, pest control measures satisfactory to state plant regulatory officials or other official certifying agencies shall be made.

All tomato transplants that are certified shall be inspected periodically and approved as being apparently free from injurious insects, nematodes, and plant disease. The final inspection shall be made not more than five days prior to pulling.

Transplants packed at point of origin

All tomato transplants brought into New Jersey for dissemination by sale or otherwise must be packed at the point of origin.

Movement into New Jersey of tomato transplants

In order to prevent the movement into New Jersey of diseased, insect-infested or substandard quality tomato plants, the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture has declared such plants to be a nuisance in New Jersey.

All tomato plants shipped into the State of New Jersey shall be certified to have been grown under an official certification program of the state of origin, or to have been inspected and certified to be apparently free from injurious insects, nematodes and plant diseases, based on an inspection no more than five days prior to removal from the soil.

All certified plants certified shall be accompanied by an official certificate so stating attached to each included crate, basket or other container. Each such package shall also be labeled as to variety and number of transplants per container.

The following standards apply to imported tomato transplants:

  • The transplants shall be apparently free from injurious insects, nematodes and plant diseases;
  • The plant count shall be as stated on the container;
  • The transplants shall be free of fruit and excessive bloom;
  • The transplants shall be free of noxious weeds;
  • The transplants shall be in good physical condition so as to make successful growth of the plants probable in the opinion of the inspecting authority. At least 80 percent of all the tomato plants in each container shall be: Not too soft or hard (over-mature); Not excessively heated; Free from excessive wilting; Free from excessive physical injury by insects, diseases, hail or other factors; Not severely clipped; Free from excessive nutrient deficiencies; Possessed of straight stems; Free from excessive weeds; and Possessed of stem length six to 11 inches from soil line to growing point, with aminimum stem diameter of 3/16 inch. If the inspecting authority is notified of agreement between the plant producer and plant purchaser, plant size standards may be altered.
  • Failure to comply with this section shall result in destruction or rejection of all or part of violating tomato transplant shipment into New Jersey.
  • Any person importing plants into the State of New Jersey shall notify the Department of Agriculture of such shipment prior to, or within 24 hours after, arrival of the shipment.
  • Complaints or dissatisfaction with shipments shall be received by the inspecting authority, prior to planting, within 24 hours of arrival in New Jersey.

PEPPER PLANTS

In order to control the movement into New Jersey of bacterial spot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria), the following specifications shall apply for admission of all pepper plants shipped into the State of New Jersey.

Conditions governing the production of pepper plants to be shipped to New Jersey:

All seeds shall be tested or treated for bacterial diseases.

From the time the pepper seedlings produce their first pair of true leaves, plants shall be sprayed with antibiotic sprays labeled for use on pepper plants at four to five day intervals until pulling following a schedule recommended by the state's cooperative extension service, satisfactory to state plant regulatory officials or other official certifying agencies, as appropriate for bacterial disease control.

For purposes of aphid, leafhopper, thrips, white fly, mite and other insect control, pest control measures satisfactory to state plant regulatory officials or other official certifying agencies shall be made.

All pepper transplants that are certified shall be inspected periodically and approved as being apparently free from injurious insects, nematodes, and plant disease. The final inspection shall be made not more than five days prior to pulling.

Transplants packed at point of origin

All pepper transplants brought into New Jersey for dissemination by sale or otherwise shall be packed at the point of origin.

Movement into New Jersey of pepper transplants

In order to prevent the movement into New Jersey of diseased, insect-infested or substandard quality pepper plants, the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture has declared such plants to be a nuisance and prescribes the following conditions for the entry of pepper plants in New Jersey.

All pepper plants shipped into the State of New Jersey shall be certified to have been grown under an official certification program of the state of origin, or to have been inspected and certified program of the free from injurious insects, nematodes and plant disease, based on an inspection no more than five days prior to removal from the soil.

All certified plants certified shall be accompanied by an official certificate, so stating, attached to each included crate, basket or other container. Also, each such package shall be labeled as to variety and number of transplants per container.

The following standards shall apply to imported pepper transplants:

  • The transplants shall be apparently free from injurious insects, nematodes and plant diseases;
  • The plant count as stated on the container;
  • The transplants shall not be clipped;
  • The transplants shall be free of noxious weeds;
  • The transplants shall be in good physical condition so as to make successful growth of the plants probable in the opinion of the inspecting authority. At least 80 per cent of all the pepper plants in each container shall be: Not too soft or hard (over-mature); Not excessively heated; Free from excessive wilting; Free from excessive physical injury by insects, diseases, hail or other factors; Free from excessive weeds; Free from excessive cold injury; Free from excessive nutrient deficiencies; Possessed of straight stems; Free from fruit or excessive bloom; and Possessed of stem length six to 11 inches from soil line to growing point, with a minimum stem diameter of 5/32 inch. If the inspecting authority is notified of agreement between the plant producer and plant purchaser, plant size standards may be altered.
  • Failure to comply with this section will result in destruction or rejection of all or part of violating pepper transplant shipments into New Jersey.
  • Any person importing plants into the State of New Jersey shall notify the Department of Agriculture of such shipment prior to, or with-in 24 hours after, arrival of the shipment.
  • Complaints or dissatisfaction with shipments must be received by the inspecting authority, prior to planting, within 24 hours of arrival in New Jersey.