Certification Programs
U.S. Nursery Certification Program (USNCP) Pilot
The USNCP is a pilot phytosanitary certification program for United States nurseries that ship nursery stock to Canada. The USNCP uses a Phytosanitary Management System (PSMS) to minimize pest risks so that plants consistently meet Canadian import requirements. The program offers an alternative to traditional phytosanitary certification for shipments to Canada.
- USNCP Certification Standards (574.76 KB)
For More Information
For more information, or if you have questions about the USNCP, please send inquiries to ppqexportservices@usda.gov.
European Union (EU) Ash Systems Approach Program
The EU Ash Systems Approach Program provides an alternative treatment to required 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) bark and material beneath the bark that is currently required for ash lumber shipments to the European Union. Companies are able to enroll in an APHIS-approved certification program with the National Hardwood Lumber Association. Member companies may then ship KD lumber with limited amounts of bark present.
View the Participant List for approved facilities.
Ralstonia Exclusion Program
USDA regulates Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 (Rs R3bv2), a select agent pathogen that poses a severe threat to important U.S. agricultural commodities such as tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants. Rs R3bv2 was listed as a select agent in the USDA Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002. In 2005, APHIS amended the regulations (70 FR 61351) to establish a certification program for articles of Pelargonium spp. and Solanum spp. imported from countries where the bacterium (Rs R3bv2) is known to occur. For Pelargonium spp. imports, the certification program followed the Minimum Sanitation Protocol for Offshore Geranium Cutting Production (1017.54 KB).
In 2024, APHIS is implementing an updated framework (820 KB) for all Rs R3bv2 host commodities under the Ralstonia Exclusion Program (REP). The REP framework will be a basis for bilateral operational work plans allowing imports of Rs R3bv2 host plants under the REP from countries where the select agent is known to occur. The framework closes known sanitation and testing gaps in earlier protocols and clarifies roles and responsibilities of all program participants. It also provides updated standard operating procedures to execute following an Rs R3bv2 detection. APHIS plans to roll out the REP in June 2024.
Offshore Greenhouse Certification Program
In 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) and the U.S. nursery industry worked together under a pilot program to determine whether greenhouse certification can effectively mitigate pest and disease risks associated with generally admissible unrooted plant cuttings produced in offshore facilities. The pilot demonstrated that growing plants in certified greenhouses under a systems approach can effectively mitigate most pest risk offshore, safeguarding American agriculture and natural resources. In June 2020, PPQ announced the establishment of the Offshore Greenhouse Certification Program (OGCP). Facilities that participate in the program may benefit from a reduced inspection frequency at the U.S. plant inspection stations for shipments.
Learn More About the Offshore Greenhouse Certification Program