This not the site to publish political opinions Person should be banned ftom Society In my opinion Sent from my iPhone > On Mar 30, 2025, at 5:15 AM, Mark Akimoff via pbs <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > I think the cuts at the government level that are affecting agriculture and all the business surrounding the nursery trade and bulb growing eventually will “trickle down” into every aspect of gardening and our lives, so it’s important to stay informed of what is going on at that level. In that regard, this is absolutely the place for discussion of how politics affects us as growers and gardeners. The usda impacts many aspects of bulb growing, from the inspection of nursery crops to the APHIS-PPQ regulations, to research at the germplasm level and many pest and disease control measures. If this disappears so too may interstate commerce of flower bulbs, which could greatly impact all of us Pacific Bulb Society members. > > I say please keep discussing so we are all informed of the changes that may affect us all at some point. > > Mark > >> On Mar 29, 2025, at 4:25 PM, Ann R via pbs <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: >> >> Really, this is not the place for politics. >> >>> On Thu, Mar 20, 2025, 5:00 AM <pbs-request@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >>> wrote: >>> >>> Send pbs mailing list submissions to >>> pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net >>> >>> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit >>> https://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… >>> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to >>> pbs-request@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net >>> >>> You can reach the person managing the list at >>> pbs-owner@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net >>> >>> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific >>> than "Re: Contents of pbs digest..." >>> >>> >>> List-Post:<mailto:pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net >>> List-Archive:<http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php >>> >>> >>> Today's Topics: >>> >>> 1. "DOGE?s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery Prices to >>> Rise and Invasive Species to Spread" (Lee Poulsen) >>> 2. Re: "DOGE?s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery Prices >>> to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread" (Robert Lauf) >>> 3. Re: "DOGE?s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery Prices >>> to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread" (Michael Homick) >>> 4. Re: "DOGE?s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery Prices >>> to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread" (Robert Lauf) >>> >>> >>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> Message: 1 >>> Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:02:52 -0700 >>> From: Lee Poulsen <wpoulsen@pacbell.net> >>> To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >>> Subject: [pbs] "DOGE?s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery Prices >>> to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread" >>> Message-ID: <2A51259E-CEA1-4908-B795-FCE001C0819C@pacbell.net> >>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 >>> >>> Saw this news article yesterday: "DOGE?s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US >>> Grocery Prices to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread? >>> < >>> https://wired.com/story/usda-food-supply-chains/… >>>> >>> >>> Here are some excerpts: >>> >>> 6,000 employees were let go at the USDA (US Dept. of Agriculture) in >>> February as part of a government-wide purge orchestrated by the Trump >>> administration and Elon Musk?s so-called Department of Government >>> Efficiency (DOGE). >>> >>> Before he received his termination notice, he says, Copeland had just >>> spent several months training the only dog stationed in Florida capable of >>> detecting the Giant African land snail, an invasive mollusk that poses a >>> significant threat to Florida agriculture. ?We have dogs for spotted and >>> lantern flies, Asian longhorn beetles,? he says, referring to two other >>> non-native species. ?I don?t think the American people realize how much >>> crap that people bring into the United States.? >>> >>> Dog trainers are just one example of the kind of highly specialized USDA >>> staff that have been removed from their stations in recent weeks. Teams >>> devoted to inspecting plant and food imports have been hit especially hard >>> by the recent cuts, including the Plant Protection and Quarantine program, >>> which has lost hundreds of staffers alone. >>> >>> ?It?s causing problems left and right,? says one current USDA worker, who >>> like other federal employees in this story asked to remain anonymous for >>> fear of retaliation. ?It?s basically a skeleton crew working now,? says >>> another current USDA staffer, who noted that both they and most of their >>> colleagues held advanced degrees and had many years of training to protect >>> US food and agriculture supply chains from invasive pests. ?It?s not >>> something that is easily replaced by artificial intelligence.? >>> >>> The USDA cuts are being felt especially in coastal states home to major >>> shipping ports. USDA sources who spoke to WIRED estimate that the Port of >>> Los Angeles, one of the busiest in the US, lost around 35 percent of its >>> total Plant Protection and Quarantine staff and 60 percent of its >>> ?smuggling and interdiction? employees, who are tasked with stopping >>> illegal pests and goods from entering the country. The Port of Miami, which >>> handles high volumes of US plant imports, lost about 35 percent of its >>> plant inspectors. >>> >>> ----- >>> So for those of us in the U.S., I have questions: >>> >>> 1. Does this mean that plant material that we import will just sit at the >>> inspection station (where the green and yellow label directs it) and remain >>> there (and possibly die) until one of the diminished staff finally gets >>> around to inspecting it? Or will they just start sending a bunch of stuff >>> on uninspected so that the pile of uninspected items doesn?t just keep >>> growing to overwhelming proportions? (And for those so inclined, might this >>> be an opportunity to try to import plants, bulbs, or seeds for which it is >>> difficult to impossible to obtain a phytosanitary certificate from the >>> sender?s country or which are not allowed? ??) >>> >>> 2. Does anyone know how this will affect the South African bulb order? >>> >>> 3. Should those of us in the US stop trying to import any plants, bulbs, >>> or seeds from abroad for the foreseeable future, or until things get back >>> to ?normal? (whenever that will be)? >>> >>> 4. And what about things we?ve already ordered and paid for that are on >>> the way, but might not arrive until after April 2? Even if they do make it >>> through inspection without too much delay, the current plan is to start >>> charging tariffs on everything imported from every country starting on >>> April 2. Will customs hold onto everything that arrives and notify the >>> recipient that they need to pay the new tariff before it will be released? >>> How will that be done? Will they send it on out once the tariff is paid, or >>> do we have to figure out how to ship it from customs to us and pay for any >>> additional shipping charges? >>> >>> 5. I wonder if any new plant pests or diseases really will get in during >>> this time? >>> >>> --Lee Poulsen >>> San Gabriel Valley, California, USA - USDA Zone 10a >>> Latitude 34?N, Altitude 340 ft/100 m >>> >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------ >>> >>> Message: 2 >>> Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2025 18:47:42 +0000 (UTC) >>> From: Robert Lauf <boblauf@att.net> >>> To: Lee Poulsen via pbs <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >>> Subject: Re: [pbs] "DOGE?s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery >>> Prices to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread" >>> Message-ID: <1765924249.6020367.1742410062270@mail.yahoo.com> >>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 >>> >>> Leigh and Johann have been diligently working on processing our group >>> order since Tues of last week.? They hope everything will be dug, washed, >>> and suitably dry by the end of the month and will be shipped around April 1. >>> I have spoken with the supervisory inspectors in both Jamaica, NY (JFK) >>> and Linden, NJ (Newark) and they assured me that they have no problem doing >>> what we did last time in ATL, viz., inspecting and shipping directly to >>> Bridget, rather than to me, using the UPS labels we will have enclosed in >>> the orders. >>> I specifically asked the lady in Linden what the work load is like at her >>> station vs JFK and she said she wasn't sure about JFK but generally at her >>> station plants are in and out typically in two days.? That was our >>> experience at ATL as well.? The article cites a 35% reduction in inspection >>> staff, and laughably describes what's left as a "skeleton crew".? But doing >>> the math, adding 35% to the 2-day turnaround time doesn't strike me as a >>> crisis in the offing. >>> Lastly, it is important to note that to the dormant bulb, a week or two in >>> a clean cardboard box, mostly at room temperature, is a walk in the park >>> compared to baking in the ground during the dry season in the Kalahari. >>> Bottom line is that I don't think the sky is falling and Uncle Sam can get >>> all the liposuction treatments possible and life will go on.? Our order >>> this time totals well over $6000 and 41 member orders.? We expect things to >>> go smoothly.? Please keep Bridget in your thoughts and prayers as she >>> braces for the arrival and distribution phase of the project. >>> As to the issue of tariffs, this remains up in the air at the moment.? >>> Live plants are not subject to duties, yet the customs broker working for >>> DHL wrongly charged duties last time.? I had to jump in and pay them to >>> avoid having everything sent back, and managed to claw the money back a few >>> months later.? Worst case would be that our order arrives at customs and we >>> have to pay something (a maximum of 20%, which appears to be what South >>> Africa charges on American imports).? Even with a 20% add-on the total will >>> still be far less than our early estimate in which we told everyone to plan >>> on a grand total of twice the catalog price of the bulbs.? Last time it >>> worked out to more like 125% of the catalog price.? So we'll see but most >>> members will, I think, come away satisfied with the value proposition. >>> In any case, I will be monitoring the shipment on a daily basis so we can >>> respond to whatever comes up without causing delays. >>> Bob? ?infested by maple pollen in Zone 7 >>> >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------ >>> >>> Message: 3 >>> Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2025 14:01:21 -0700 >>> From: Michael Homick <michaelhomick@gmail.com> >>> To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >>> Subject: Re: [pbs] "DOGE?s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery >>> Prices to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread" >>> Message-ID: >>> < >>> CAH7Rr8d4g7o9t8WrcCoqLKszWtz+K8H2gvjrHWf4_7rrZtNE5w@mail.gmail.com> >>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" >>> >>> Hi Lee and the group: >>> I am involved with a project to disseminate and protect rare lilium species >>> in tissue culture. Last fall I placed a rather substantial order for Lilium >>> species in tissue culture to: https://www.lilium-tc.com/. Previously >>> orders came through fine with just minor delays. Matthias obtained phytos >>> for everything and we had all the proper paperwork for importation. The >>> USDA in their wisdom now gamma irradiates all plant material from Austria >>> due to potato cyst nematodes. So when my shipment and others who also >>> ordered separately got their plants everything was cooked. >>> I evn planned on making a trip physically to Austria this year ( round trip >>> approx $700.00) but restrictions permit only 12 plants to be physically >>> brought back on your person. I called the USDA to verify this restriction >>> and was told that indeed twelve plants is the limit and that they would >>> also be subjected to irradiation. The logic is that plants grown from seed >>> in tissue culture would have no contact with potato cyst nematodes or soil. >>> It is all very frustrating. Um.... maybe a lead lined shipping container? >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------ >>> >>> Message: 4 >>> Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2025 02:27:02 +0000 (UTC) >>> From: Robert Lauf <boblauf@att.net> >>> To: Michael Homick via pbs <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >>> Subject: Re: [pbs] "DOGE?s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery >>> Prices to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread" >>> Message-ID: <1010753399.6207794.1742437622276@mail.yahoo.com> >>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 >>> >>> Michael, >>> You have discovered another complication in the business.? There are a lot >>> of one-off restrictions that might or might not be visible to you when you >>> set up your import permit.? For instance, when I was setting my permit to >>> include all the genera that members wanted, four of them? (Crocosmia, >>> Gladiolus, Gloriosa, and Watsonia) cannot be added to the permit if coming >>> from South Africa.? A flag says these are NOT ALLOWED entry at all, I >>> believe because they can harbor brown potato rot.? So we had to remove them >>> from any order that has them on it. >>> Issues like that are definitely not negotiable.? However, I do note that >>> there are various permits, including one to allow importing of live pests >>> for use in research (I'm not making this up).? You might want to delve into >>> the more exotic permit classes to see if there is one that is tailored >>> specifically for bottle babies; as I recall, one can get docs that allow >>> importing bottles of orchid seedlings of species that are on CITES and >>> would otherwise be illegal to sell if wild-collected. >>> If you haven't already done so, you might call the guy at the APHIS mother >>> ship in Maryland.? You'll get a robo-operator but at the appropriate point >>> in the menu, pick the one about importing live plants and then leave a >>> message.? He will get back to you promptly, and has always been very >>> helpful when I have questions.? He might know of a work-around for your >>> problem.? But when it comes to serious threats to food crops, they will err >>> on the side of caution, and we can't blame them. >>> Contact me privately if you want to discuss things in more detail.? But it >>> sounds like Austria might be the deal breaker and your supplier needs to >>> set up a lab someplace else.? Good luck! >>> Bob? ?Zone 7, waiting for the rain tonight. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------ >>> >>> Subject: Digest Footer >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> pbs mailing list >>> pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net >>> https://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… >>> Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >>> PBS Forum latest: >>> https://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbsforum/index.php/… >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------ >>> >>> End of pbs Digest, Vol 97, Issue 13 >>> *********************************** >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> pbs mailing list >> pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net >> https://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… >> Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >> PBS Forum https://… > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > https://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > PBS Forum https://… _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net https://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> PBS Forum https://…