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5 Tips For Growers Shipping Plants Online

conifers in a box and Plant Sentry™ Logo

5 Things For Growers Shipping Plants Online

2020 was THE year for shipping plants online! Despite having been around for several years, until 2020 the Home & Garden Industry never quite jumped on the eCommerce bandwagon. But, desperate times called for desperate measures.

While there were already a couple of players in the industry, like our client Nature Hills, there were still many growers throughout the U.S. who didn’t see the value in shipping plants by way of the internet. But, as quickly as 2020 began, all of this changed.

In 2020, the demand for online shopping of live plants was at an all-time high.

The pandemic forced both large and small businesses that were selling plants to pivot and consider this new market with little time for second-guessing. As these businesses and growers extended their shipping services to meet the increasing demand from people all over the world, regulators were also getting to work.

While shipping plants online may be a good change for the industry, regulators and industry experts have a long list of reasons why shipping plants throughout the United States can be just as hurtful as it is helpful.

Here are the 5 things growers and online plant nurseries need to know about shipping live plants using the E-Commerce model.

1. Regulations Still Apply

While many growers and nurseries would expect nothing less, unfortunately, there are still some companies out there that may be a little surprised by this. Despite the number of web pages out there (roughly 1.7 Billion of them), Regulatory Officials have wasted no time at all in auditing online websites.

While getting garden plants delivered to your doorstep sounds like it would be harmless enough, there are still a number of online stores that do not disclose the origin locations of their goods. If a plant comes from overseas or from an infected nursery, that order, and consequently that plant put all the other plants in that truck at risk. 

To combat the efforts of negligent sellers, regulators throughout the U.S. have pivoted to auditing online storefronts and notifying businesses if it looks like they’re selling invasive plants or non-compliant goods. 

2. Knowing Where Your Plants Come From

When it comes to shopping plants online knowing where your plant is coming from can be challenging. As a consumer, not all companies are transparent in their supply chain to try and protect their network from the competition, but that doesn’t make it less important.

When buying and selling plants online location is quite literally, EVERYTHING. If a plant is coming from overseas there is quite a bit of risk that the plant can pose to the North American ecosystems and consequently, you run the risk of the plant never being delivered.

But, if the plants are coming from different parts of the country, chances are you’re going to get it. But that doesn’t mean you’re going to get it fast, or that it’s still in compliance. Different regions of the country have different regulations for compliance, because of their vulnerability and risk to their agriculture, businesses, and the environment. 

A prime example of this is the state of California. They have so many different ecoregions within one state that some parts of the state can’t ship to the other. The different environments contribute to different pests, plants, and diseases posing a risk to the other plants in the other regions of the state.

Before investing too much as a grower in your e-Commerce journey, make sure you’re already fully invested in the most up-to-date certifications and regulations for where you’re shipping.  

Every state is different, and while you’re State Regulator may say that everything looks good, the destination state may have different ideas. It’s good practice to reach out to ensure you have everything you need.

 

3. Applying Restrictions On The Site: Plant Sentry™ API 

Believe it or not, despite everything we do in our business, we still have room for more! 

Besides being a one-of-a-kind database for all of the regulation and compliance needs for the Garden Industry, we also have a modern technical approach to aid in protecting any type of plants. 

Plant Sentry™ has developed a state-of-the-art API that can connect with the shopping cart feature on any e-Commerce website! The value that this tool can bring to your website is immeasurable. The API service uses the destination location of the plant against our database to ensure the customer request can be met, and saving you the hassle of managing restrictions. 

If you’re a grower and would like to learn more about this feature, please reach out to us in our Contact Us section below and we will be happy to tell you more!

4. Shipping Your Wide Selection of Plants

Once you’ve nailed down your compliance and have Plant Sentry™ set up on your site, you’re pretty much ready to rock and roll. 

But, there’s just ONE more thing.

Packaging.

Shipping live plants is a delicate process and should be treated as such. During the pandemic carriers have been overwhelmed with record highs of packages, making traveling through the mail a bit more difficult for live goods.

With that in mind, you want to make sure your packaging will keep your plants healthy and alive throughout their journey. With carriers sometimes taking anywhere from 1 to several extra days to make a delivery, set your business up for success and optimize your plant’s packaging.

This includes making sure all required labels are easily accessible for officials and your packaging indicates fragile or live goods.

5. The PPQ Mail Interception Dashboard

As if we couldn’t give you enough tips to make you successful, the USDA’s APHIS team also has your back!

In efforts to help combat unauthorized shipments of goods into the U.S., the USDA-Plant Protection & Quarantine (PPQ) team uses both specially trained detector dogs and their innovative PPQ Mail Interception Dashboard. Each of these services works to protect the people of the U.S. and prevent unauthorized shipments from making their way illegally through our country.

The dashboard tracks and provides visual data on locations of the stopped packages, and provide unique insights into where the unpermitted shipment came from. The program aims to achieve turning this information gathered into ways that the agency can put a stop to the numerous mail pest pathways throughout the country. 

So there you have it! In 5 easy steps, you too can launch your e-Commerce version of your business. Whether you’re looking to ship to Los Angeles or New York City, be sure to stop by our Contact Us page below to reach out for our help.

Citations:

[1] https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/ppq-program-overview/plant-protection-today/articles/data-mail-pest-pathway

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For the Love of Plants: How Regulations Protect Your Garden

hedge with a heart cutout; Plant Sentry

For the Love of Plants: How Regulations Protect Your Garden

It’s no secret that we love plants around this place. Everything that Plant Sentry does is for the love of plants! 

But in some parts of the world loving plants is a secondary task. Too often the regulations set out to keep the very plants we love safe, take a back burner to the threats that surround them.

There’s a lot that goes into protecting different plants and their well being! Did you know that some plants are so harmful that they can’t be in the same environment as other plants?

As a means to try and protect plants from the threat they pose to one another, regulatory officials prohibit and regulate certain plants in certain parts of the country in hopes to protect natural ecosystems.

Much like the efforts of Plant Sentry™, decision-makers keep the threats of invasive plants, pests, and diseases at the forefront of their considerations of what plants are safe, and which ones are not.

So what goes into prohibiting a plant? How do regulators and officials decide which ones are safe and which ones are dangerous? 

In today’s blog, we’re going to find answers to this very question.

Identifying Invasive Relationships

First thing is first when it comes to determining whether or not to prohibit a plant, officials have to determine whether or not the plant is an invasive species. 

Invasive species overcrowd healthy plant populations and suppress their ability to grow successfully.

By prohibiting invasive species regulators and growers are better able to protect current plants from their exposure. Invasive species have costly damages that no one wants to pay.

Identifying invasive species quickly and early can save a whole lot of trouble later on. 

Sometimes growers don’t realize that the plants they’re selling may be invasive. Sometimes, the consumer may not realize the plants they’re buying are invasive.

If you’re unsure what plants are and aren’t invasive to your local environment visit the USDA Invasive Species Information Center.

This site provides access to all 50 states’ lists of invasive species [1]. The more you know about the rules surrounding these species, the better you can protect your garden!

A Negative Attraction

Trying to predict the future and see if something could be prohibited later on? A great way to predict what plants may be up for new regulations is to keep an eye on the pests.

While it is incredibly uncommon, plants can be prohibited or removed from environments simply because an invasive pest really likes them. 

While it most certainly seems unfair to plant lovers, the harsh reality is that without stringent protection from these pests the plants we love would be lost anyway. As a result, many states will either discourage or prohibit the planting of certain species of plants in hopes of starving out the pests.

Before the USDA moved to remove Federal Regulations on the Emerald Ash Borer, states spent millions of dollars combatting it!

Many states kept a watchful eye on the pest, hoping to protect their beloved Ash trees and prevent an invasion of the EAB.

In the state of Nebraska, one action of protection was to discourage the sale and movement of Ash trees within the state. The hopes were to slow down the spread of the invasive pest by limiting their resources. and still, keep the trees within the state.

However, after the damages continued Nebraska decided to remove a lot of the trees. In many parts of the state, the damage has been so extensive that treatment isn’t possible and removal is the only option.

Now, Ash trees in Nebraska are often removed throughout the state in efforts to starve out the EAB and hopefully regrow the Ash trees at a future date.

Keeping a watchful eye on how pests affect plants can give you indications of whether or not you’ll want to purchase these plants for yourself. 

With quarantine federal deregulation, it will be important to keep up with the state by state measures for the EAB that will develop over the next coming years.

To learn more about how you may combat the Emerald Ash Borer and other invasive pests visit the USDA’s APHIS page [2].

A-Noxious Behavior

Another category that gets identified in lists of plants that can be prohibited is Noxious Weeds.

Noxious weeds are identified as weeds that are harmful to the environment or animals. In the U.S. each of these weeds participates in the USDA’s APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine Risk Assessment. 

In this program, the APHIS PPQ evaluates each of the species of weed for their abilities to spread, establish, and cause harm to the U.S. environments. The assessments can be conducted for really any reason that may suggest a threat to the U.S.

For many of these plant species, they overcrowd the native plants and radically change the local ecosystems. Many states independently identify Noxious Weeds within their environments and prohibit their sale or distribution within their borders in hopes of preventing their spread and threat. 

To learn more about the plants on this list, and who’s on it visit the APHIS page for Noxious Weeds [3].

Helping Healthy Plants 

While many plants are restricted throughout the U.S., it doesn’t mean that they aren’t still sold or distributed. In the gray area of the Garden Industry, somewhere between not knowing better, and not caring, these plants are still sold to communities nationwide.

As officials continue the uphill battle against these plants, some of the best methods of combat are community education and programs like Plant Sentry™.

Much like the regulatory officials working hard to protect your environments, at Plant Sentry™ we know the damage these plants cause. We know that it takes a community effort to prevent the spread and sale of these species. This is why we work tirelessly to provide our clients with the tools and insights they need to protect themselves from these plants.

Now that you understand a little bit more about why plants get prohibited, we hope that you too will share with your community to help prevent their spread!

Important Resources:

[1] https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/subject/lists

[2] https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases

[3] https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/SA_Weeds/SA_Noxious_Weeds_Program

[4] https://plants.usda.gov/java/noxiousDriver

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Fresh Fruits & Vegetables Month

Fresh Fruits & Vegetables Month

As the weather continues to warm and the sun stays out longer, fruits and vegetables are growing bigger every day. Which is perfect, because June is National Fresh Fruits & Vegetables Month! 

While the basis of this month is to focus on the health aspects that fruits and vegetables provide to the human diet. We can’t help but stop to wonder, what determines the health of our fruits and vegetables? And who’s checking up on this?

Piqued Your Curiosity?

Where our produce comes from is commonly related to what store we bought it at and where that store is located. Until the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the concept of how that produce got to the store, was lost on many of the people who ate it. And sure, we know it comes from a farm, and that farmers have to grow it, but where are these farms located? And what are their growing practices? How do I know that the health of their plants is going to mean health for my body?

Finding the Answers

Unless you belong to the farming and gardening industry the idea of plant sourcing may be outside your realm, simply because you don’t see it. But, that’s part of the reason why Plant Sentry™ is here. We exist to safeguard the shipment of plants, and well, fruits and vegetables are plants too. 

So this month, we’d like to help answer some of these questions for you and give you some tools you need to answer these questions for yourself.

Where Do They Come From?

While California leads the U.S. states in domestic agriculture, the other 48 states make sure to do their part when it comes to farming too. 2 million other farms to be exact. While this seems like a lot, and perhaps that it should be enough, what may be surprising about this is that only about 8% of farms market their foods locally [2]. 

Many fruits and vegetables grown in the U.S. are only in season for a few weeks out of a calendar year.

The Fruits of Labor After the Seasons Over

Once the U.S. growers finish out their seasons for fruits and vegetables the American consumer doesn’t end their want/need for the produce. Instead, the U.S. market imports fresh fruits and vegetables from all around the world to meet American consumers’ demand.In 2012 it was calculated that roughly 6.9 million metric tons of fruits and vegetables were shipped to U.S. Distribution Centers nationwide. [2]  

So Are They Healthy?

The U.S. market for fruits and vegetables can be divided into 2 categories, fresh and processed. Deciding which market the farmer grows for determines how the produce is grown. If it is grown for the processed market, then the goods will meet the standards of that market. If the produce is grown for the fresh market, then they will adhere to the standards of the fresh market. The USDA monitors both of these markets and lists their standards for both categories here. [4]

When it comes to the health of fruits and vegetables determining their values can be a little bit more challenging, because it requires a closer look. Fruits and vegetable benefits are evaluated by the nutrient density of the good and can vary slightly based on growth conditions. 

The way the food is prepared and handled will also determine the overall nutrient density of the fruits and vegetables. But generally speaking, it is safe to follow the nutritional evaluations of raw fruits and vegetables from the FDA. [1]

Beyond the Label

Unless you’re purchasing goods from a local grower, knowing more finite information about the produce your consuming can be challenging. While the FDA requires the listing of the country on the stickers for fruits and vegetables, beyond that is considered proprietary business information.[5]

The Green Industry Role

In the Green Industry, it can be challenging to find out information if you aren’t on the inside of the situation. When there are disease and pest outbreaks, our government officials often settle for only listing the affected state and not the company name. This is no different when it comes to the agricultural side of things and handling the safety of food.

In order to protect international business relationships, the same standard of discretion is applied to the produce industry. As Americans continue to populate and rely on these resources, it is the utmost responsibility of the government officials regulating these goods to protect not only those eating them but also those who grow them.

The Plant Sentry™ Role

Being a member of the Green Industry can sometimes be challenging. While we at Plant Sentry™ primarily focus on the health of plants and their shipping and restrictions requirements, we know that every piece of the puzzle is important.

How consumers purchase and select their goods plays into the giant game of chess that impacts the availability consumers have. 

This is why we do and encourage everything we can in shipping and compliance of regulations to help growers be successful so that consumers can keep their variety.

  • Citations

    1. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (n.d.). Nutrition Information for Raw Fruits, Vegetables, and Fish. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/nutrition-information-raw-fruits-vegetables-and-fish
    2. Fast Facts About Agriculture & Food. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.fb.org/newsroom/fast-facts
    3. Fischetti, M. (2013, September 1). U.S. Demand for Fruits and Vegetables Drives Up Imports. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/us-demand-for-fruits-and-vegetables-drives-up-imports
    4. Grades and Standards. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards
    5. Grossman, E. (2014, September 24). Want to find out where your fruit was grown? Good luck. Retrieved from https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/09/fruit-veggies-produce-origins-trade-secret/

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    Digging Up the “Dirt” On Geraniums

    Digging Up the “Dirt” On Geraniums

    Everything You Need to Know About the Ralstonia Outbreak

    As the month of April came to a close the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the detection of Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 (R3bv2) in a greenhouse in Michigan. The infection was discovered in a species of geraniums identified as the Fantasia ‘Pink Flare’ variety.

    It has been roughly sixteen years since this bacteria was last found on U.S. soil and since then has garnered itself the classification of a potential bioterrorism agent against the United State’s agriculture. In 2004, Florida’s tomato crops were threatened by the disease and led to the destruction of over 4 million plants to prevent its spread.

    How It Can Impact the U.S.

    This specific strain of Ralstonia solanacearum has the potential to impact several important agricultural crops. However, it is potatoes and tomatoes that are at the greatest risk from this disease. Both agricultural crops are common hosts of the disease and can wipe out the entire crop with infection before the symptoms can be identified.

    The bacterial wilt made its way to the U.S, this time, through an infected shipment of plants from Guatemala. Since its discovery, the foreign greenhouse responsible for the infection has voluntarily ceased all incoming and planned shipments to the United States. With an additional 288 greenhouses in 39 states who also received cuttings from this grower, APHIS has been working tirelessly to prevent the spread of this infection.

    Who & What They’re After

    The plant is targeted for eradication is the Fantasia ‘Pink Flare’ geranium. As the USDA moves through greenhouses affected by this disease they will go through and sample, isolate and destroy any of the species. Due to the spread of the infection that can occur between host plants and non-host plants, the USDA will also target other geranium species in the suspected greenhouses for the same methods of control.

    How Does This Happen?

    While the majority of Ralstonia solanacearum strains infect tropical and subtropical climates, the host of the bacteria ranges into the hundreds and can be located in agricultural goods around the world. It is in colder tropical climates that R3bv2 develops. The development of this disease is majorly identified in the highland, cooler tropical, parts of Africa, South America, and Asia. 
    In an AmericanHort webinar, hosted for awareness of the disease, Professor Caitilyn Allen of Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison identified that the infectious tract for this disease is through the water-transporting xylem vessels. In a series of images she showed how, on a microscopic level, the bacteria infiltrates tomato stems and quickly takes over the healthy cells of the plant.

    What To Look For

    The most common symptom of this bacterial infection is stunting in plant growth. However, this disease can also be expressed by yellowing and wilting of the leaves, and eventually death of the plant. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension states in their reporting of the bacteria that, “Symptom expression is favored by high temperatures (85°F-95°F). Symptoms of this disease may progress rapidly after infection, but plants may remain without symptoms for extended periods.”

    The lack of symptoms that are in hosts makes the danger of this disease all the more pressing to the U.S. Agriculture. With the disease leading to a potato farmer’s nightmare, brown rot, it is truly a team effort of the industry to keep this disease from spreading.

    It is additionally important to note that while there are symptoms that can help in identifying the disease, there are also a number of ornamental plants and Nightshade family weeds that can host the disease without symptoms.

    Symptoms of Ralstonia solanacearum:

    Here are a few ways to identify if your plants may possibly be infected:

    • Upward rolling of the leaves, that eventually leads to their collapse
    • When squeezing the stem of a suspected infected plant, a milky white ooze comes out
    • Placing a suspected infected plant stem in a glass of water and after 15 minutes milky streaking of bacteria is coming out from the stem

    How to Move Forward

    While there are testing options available, they aren’t 100% accurate in many cases and can be quite expensive to carry out. Instead, the USDA is recommending that if you believe your plants to be infected by the disease, or that you have received a plant of the known infected variety to reach out to the contact facility or report the infection through the USDA State Plant Health Directors page. They will schedule a date to come out to the facility and inspect the plants, as well as obtain some first-hand information. Following their scheduling, they will issue their “Emergency Action Notification” document with a more detailed version of the following procedures.

    It is asked that you hold all plants of the Fantastia ‘Pink Flare’ variety, as well as any other geraniums or known host plants of the disease. This qualifies towards any host plants that may have been shipped between 10/2019 until 04/2020. The USDA also asks that you hold any plant material that may have been exposed or come in contact with the suspected infectious plants or any materials exposed to it.

    The suspected material will then be tested. If test results are negative, then the items are free to be moved again. However if the material is found to be contaminated, then the items will be destroyed and the area disinfected through means that have been outlined to be acceptable by the EAN procedures of the USDA.

    The Ending Our Industry Deserves

    While growers and inspectors seek out infestation to destroy this disease once again from U.S. soil, it is noteworthy to mention that 55 Canadian greenhouses have also been infected from this incident.

    As we look to the future from this occurrence, many are wondering how they can protect their crops from something like this happening again? Our answer is simple, Plant Sentry™.

    When infections like Ralstonia solanacearum are discovered, Plant Sentry™ works to immediately notify our clients of the potential risks their plants face. This communication is essential in helping to slow the spread of the disease from the grower to the vendor. 


    Early notification provided by Plant Sentry™ can reduce the potential exposure of the disease and may prevent the elimination of plants due to quarantine and destruction procedures by officials. We understand that every dollar spent should equal a dollar saved. At Plant Sentry™ we apply that mindset to protect your bottom line when a disease shows up to your nursery door. It is our responsibility as an industry to protect one another from the potential danger that a disease like this can cause. With Plant Sentry™ on your side, protection gets a whole lot easier!

    To learn more about our efforts be sure to view our other blogs!

    Citations