Callie Walker, chief of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Bureau of Pest Eradication and Control, recently provided an update on the Citrus Health Response Program. Topics she addressed include trip tickets, personnel and the citrus inspection database.
Walker recommended reiterating to harvesters about the importance of trip tickets being filled out completely and accurately. Those with new harvesting staff or that are unsure of their Grower/Caretaker Compliance Agreement number or what their multi-block ID numbers are should contact their local Citrus Health Response Program (CHRP) office to obtain the information.
She offered the following reminders:
- If you have fruit shipping to the European Union, make sure to have “CC” included on the trip ticket.
- If you are within a citrus black spot (CBS) quarantine area, the trip ticket must have “TARP-Q” and “CC” written on it.
- If you are a harvester and working in a county with a CBS quarantine, make sure to reach out to a CHRP office and find out if the grove you will be harvesting is in a CBS quarantine area, as the status can change during the season. This will ensure that the trailer can be tarped properly, and the ticket is issued with “TARP-Q.”
Walker announced that Doug Batson, Jr. is the new CHRP statewide regulatory director. Batson previously worked with the CHRP in both survey and regulatory roles. He works in the FDACS Division of Plant Industry Winter Haven office.
Finally, Walker reported that a new citrus inspection database replaces a tool that had been in use more than 20 years. It offers a more dynamic environment and displays work in real time. It handles survey and regulatory activities, including the mapping of all new solid set plantings and the removal of blocks that have been pushed.
Source: Indian River Citrus League’s October River Ramblings newsletter
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