Jonny

There seems to be some missing info here. The USDA destroys 229 trees...
usually an option is given to the importer, re-exportation, treatment , or destruction.
I'm thinking there might have been exotic pests, either wood boring insects, snails, or other types of insects in the shipment. If not, there may have been species of trees that were considered "post entry" where the 2 year quarantine requirement had to be met. Is Mr. Mihalic, or Wildwood Gardens, under a USDA compliance agreement as part of the new pilot program, where their facility is approved to accept these trees and grow them under USDA conditions as post entry for the 2 year quarantine requirement ?

Unfortunately the importer has to be held accountable for the ultimate disposition of an imported shipment. It is unfortunate that this has happened. I was at the JFK APHIS Plant Inspection Station last week, and a shipment for New England Bonsai came through, 17 crates with a number of different genera. Unfortunately. one particular species was found to have quarantine significant pests and the option was given to re-export, treat (fumigation), or destroy. The importer elected to destroy, and again it is the responsibility of the importer to bear the brunt of this restriction. Most of the shipment was released and NE Bonsai is part of that new pilot program, so the trees and the insect traps will be monitored by USDA for 2 years.

Jonny