La. Admin. Code tit. 7 § XV-139

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section XV-139 - Effect of Quarantine for Sweetpotato Weevil

A. Sweetpotato Weevil-Free Designations of Louisiana

1. The growing or storing of regulated material, including seed beds and field plantings of sweet potatoes is prohibited in areas or properties or premises declared to be non-sweet potato areas, except under special permit issued by the department. Non-sweet potato areas may include but are not limited to sweetpotato weevil-infested properties or premises, as determined by survey or trapping procedures conducted in a manner approved by the department, located in those areas of the state designated by the department as sweetpotato weevil-free.

2. Any regulated material found in non-sweet potato areas shall be disposed of in a manner approved by the department.

3. Regulated materials, properties or premises found to contain sweetpotato weevil may be subject to required treatments, handling restrictions, or destruction as determined by the department.

B. Sweetpotato Weevil-Infested Designations of Louisiana

1. Owners or persons in charge of properties or premises supporting active infestations of sweetpotato weevil within those areas or properties or premises of the state designated as sweetpotato weevil-infested may save their own seed sweet potatoes, provided that:

a. such seed sweet potatoes are graded in a manner sufficient to render them apparently free of the sweetpotato weevil;

b. such seed sweet potatoes are properly treated in a manner approved by the department at the time of storage;

c. no seed sweet potatoes, plants, vines and/or cuttings shall be sold, offered for sale or moved except those which have been inspected by the department and found to be apparently free of the sweetpotato weevil.

2. Regulated materials, properties or premises supporting active infestations of sweetpotato weevil within those areas of the state designated as sweetpotato weevil-infested may be subject to required treatments, handling restrictions, or destruction as determined by the department.

C. Statewide

1. Sweet potatoes in seedbeds shall be destroyed within 15 days after such potatoes have served their purpose, and not later than July 15 of each year. Destruction shall be in such a manner that all sweet potatoes, plants and parts are brought to the soil surface and exposed, or in such other manner as may be prescribed by the department.

2. All sweet potato fields shall be harvested by December 1 of each year by the owner of the crop. Such fields shall be destroyed within 15 days after harvesting, and not later than December 15 of each year. Destruction shall be in such a manner that all remaining sweet potatoes, plants and parts are brought to the soil surface and exposed, or in such other manner as may be prescribed by the department.

3. Sanitary Measures. Persons operating packing sheds, assembly points, processing plants and/or storage houses shall:

a. not permit loose sweet potatoes or parts of sweet potatoes to accumulate in or around any structure in which sweet potatoes are cleaned, packed, processed or stored;

b. render waste sweet potatoes and sweet potato parts unsuitable for or unavailable to the sweetpotato weevil by processing or disposal in a manner approved by the department. If it is necessary to haul host material from the place of accumulation for processing or disposal, such hauling shall be done in an approved tight-body truck or container and covered with a tarpaulin when necessary;

c. not allow sweet potatoes, sweet potato crowns and roots or parts thereof to be carried away from storage houses, processing plants, packing sheds or assembly points in water used in washing sweet potatoes;

d. not permit the sale, offer for sale or movement to any person or farm of culled sweet potatoes or sweet potato parts, except under special permit issued by the department; and

e. not move empty containers or equipment used in the handling of sweet potatoes from packing sheds or processing plants unless cleaned free of all host materials.

D. Regulated Material from Other States

1. Sweet potatoes, sweet potato plants, plant products and parts thereof, host materials, and containers and equipment used in handling sweet potatoes may not enter Louisiana unless accompanied by valid certification from the state of origin.

2. A valid state-of-origin certificate permit tag shall be attached to or placed within each container in a load of sweet potatoes entering Louisiana.

a. Only regulated material certified as grown, stored and inspected in a portion of the state of origin designated as sweetpotato weevil-free, or fumigated in accordance with these regulations, shall enter those areas or properties or premises of Louisiana designated sweetpotato weevil-free unless moving under the provisions of this Section.

b. Regulated material grown, stored or inspected in a portion of the state of origin designated sweetpotato weevil-infested or sweetpotato weevil regulated, and inspected and found apparently free of sweetpotato weevil, shall enter only those areas or properties or premises of Louisiana designated sweetpotato weevil-infested unless moving under the provisions of this Section.

c. Movement of regulated material from sweetpotato weevil-infested or sweetpotato weevil regulated areas or properties or premises through those areas or properties or premises of Louisiana designated sweetpotato weevil-free is prohibited, except when moved by common carrier with a through bill of lading; or, if moved by truck or any other conveyance, said conveyance shall be sealed by the state of origin, shall have no additional regulated material added to the shipment, and shall not be unloaded within designated weevil-free areas or properties or premises of Louisiana.

d. Regulated material originating in areas or properties or premises designated sweetpotato weevil-free that is moved into any area or property or premise designated sweetpotato weevil-infested or sweetpotato weevil regulated, except under the provisions of this Section, shall not be moved back into any designated sweetpotato weevil-free area or property or premise and shall lose its sweetpotato weevil-free status.

La. Admin. Code tit. 7, § XV-139

Promulgated by the Department of Agriculture, Office of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, LR 11:320 (April 1985), amended by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, LR 18:704 (July 1992), LR 27:1177 (August 2001).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 3:1655 and R.S. 3:1732.