Phytophthora ramorum, a previously unknown forest pathogen, is the causal agent of sudden OAK death (SOD)

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) received a $1.31 million Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025) for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. The award funds CDFA's efforts to prevent the interstate spread of Phytophthora ramorum, the causal agent of Sudden Oak Death (SOD), through comprehensive inspection, sampling, certification, and laboratory diagnostics of regulated nursery establishments and plant articles. Working in collaboration with County Agricultural Commissioners (CACs), CDFA will conduct inspections and certifications in compliance with federal quarantine regulations, perform trace-forward and trace-back investigations, maintain a parallel state interior quarantine, issue phytosanitary advisories, and execute laboratory diagnostics and DNA testing to ensure that nursery stock and regulated articles shipped interstate from California are free of the pathogen.

The deliverables under this agreement include ensuring freedom from P. ramorum in all nursery stock and regulated articles shipped from both quarantined and non-quarantined counties, eradicating or mitigating P. ramorum detections in affected establishments, and conducting nine county audits to verify the legitimacy of CDFA and CAC cooperative agreements. The award also requires CDFA to identify and track any California-origin regulated articles that test positive for P. ramorum in other states, thereby supporting the federal domestic quarantine framework established in 2002 to protect U.S. agriculture from this economically significant forest pathogen.

Activities

Cdfa will work with the county agricultural commissioners (CACS) to perform inspection, sampling and certification of all regulated establishments as directed by 7 CFR 301.92, trace forward and trace back investigations, and ensure the following: a. Nursery stock shipped interstate from nonquarantined counties is free of P. Ramorum. B. Regulated articles, including nursery stock, shipped interstate from the quarantined area are free of P. Ramorum. C. All nursery detections of P. Ramorum are eradicated or its presence mitigated so that nursery stock and other articles for conveyance are free of P. Ramorum in affected establishments. Cdfa will maintain a parallel state interior quarantine, issue phytosanitary advisories, perform lab diagnostics and process lab samples, initiate cooperative agreements, DNA testing and identification. Cdfa will also conduct nine county audits to ensure the legitimacy of cdfa/CAC cooperative agreements. Deliverables and expected outcomes: identify the quantity of california-origin regulated articles found positive for P. Ramorum in other states. Freedom from P.ramorum in nursery stock and other regulated articles as well as through the completion of mitigation measures and adoption of required cultural practices in positive nurseries. Laboratory tests and subsequent results will be used to evaluate the success of cdfa's ability to accomplish the goals and mitigation requirements in qualifying nurseries as stated above. Intended beneficiary(IES): this pathogen causes mortality in certain susceptible, native forest species and can also cause twig and foliar diseases in many ornamental plants, including camellia and rhododendron. The benefits expected from the program include: a. Protection of susceptible, native environments in the U.S. From the artificial introduction of P. Ramorum via california-origin regulated articles. B. Protection of international export markets for U.S.-origin host plants. C. Continued economic viability of california industries that ship regulated articles interstate. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: county agricultural commissioners (CAC) to provide support and enforcement of regulated program activities (attachment B). DNA sequencing with genewiz LLC, equipment maintenance with gentinge, alliant-remi-tubewriter, and hazardous waste will also receive a subcontract.