Laws will be strengthened

Washington, D.C.

The Plant Protection Act passed both the House and Senate on May 25, after an intense lobbying campaign to have it attached to crop insurance legislation. As enacted by Congress, the Plant Protection Act combines, streamlines, and strengthens 11 outdated laws that provide the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) the authority safeguard US agriculture and the environment from harmful plant pests and noxious weeds.

Passage of the Act was the #1 recommendation of last year's Safeguarding American Plant Resources review of USDA-APHIS' quarantine and pest prevention programs. The review was co-chaired by American Nursery and Landscape Association. ASLA has had the Plant Protection Act as a key item on its legislative agenda for nearly 10 years.

The Act has become increasingly urgent with pests like the Asian longhorned beetle gaining entry into the country. The law paves the way for many needed changes that ANLA and other interested groups will be working on in the coming months. Agriculture Secretary Daniel Glickman supports the bill and recommends that it be made into law by Clinton's signature.