ADVOCACY UPDATE

BOX TREE MOTH FOUND IN LOVELAND, OHIO

ON APRIL 9, ODA DIRECTOR Brian Baldridge sent a letter to Kevin Shea, Administrator of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, about the concerns ODA has regarding the Box Tree Moth and potential impacts to nursery stock producers if detected in Ohio. Director Baldridge urged the USDA to fast-track research and development of a compliance program that will protect the nursery industry from the threat posed by the Box Tree Moth.

The Box Tree Moth has been found in some Michigan counties that border Ohio, which resulted in a quarantine for those counties by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on April 10.

Early in June, ODA’s Division of Plant health was alerted to a possible Box Tree Moth presence near Loveland, Ohio by a person who is a nature enthusiast. Division Chief Dan Kenny informed OGIA that a Box Tree Moth was likely found in the area pending verification and that prompted trapping operations to take place. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service then verified the specimen and two others that had been caught in traps were Box Tree Moths.

OGIA staff and nursery members from the area were briefed about the developments in Loveland in a zoom call with Division Chief Kenny and other ODA and OSU staff on June 27. Inspectors with ODA’s Division of Plant Health and USDA staff are placing additional traps and will survey the area over the summer and fall to determine the source and extent of the population. ODA is working with USDA to develop a compliance program but for now, there currently are no effective eradication solutions and so efforts will be aimed at working with nursery partners and slowing the spread of the moth.

ODA, USDA, and OGIA urge anyone who believe they have found a Box Tree Moth to look for and report any signs of infestation by following these steps:

• Familiarize yourself with the insect’s appearance and signs of damage on boxwood shrubs. You can use the following link to the USDA’s photo album on flickr, www.flickr.com/photos/usdagov/ albums/72157719574970883/

• Check any boxwood plants you have for signs of box tree moth life stages

• If you find any signs of infestation, take a picture, and report it on ODA’s website, https://agri.ohio.gov/ divisions/plant-health/invasive-pests, or email the Division of Plant Health, PlantPest@agri.ohio.gov

OGIA will continue to work closely with ODA on this issue and will keep you informed of any updates.

TONY SEEGERS

1803 Consulting, LLC tony@1803consulting.com

Tony is the governmental affairs liaison for OhioPLANT, of which OGIA is a member. OhioPLANT is a coalition of pesticide, landscape, agriculture, nursery and turf professionals. For more information, visit OhioPLANT.com