Comment from Peter Kralt

I am very encouraged that the USDA is considering removing chrysanthemum white rust as a quarantine pest. As a 40 year long grower of cut chrysanthemums, I have seen the availability of quality growing stock deteriorate, while competition from foreign growers becomes more intense. It is vital to the North American chyrsanthemum industry that there be ready access to growing stock from all sources. It appears that North American breeders have abandoned Canada and the US in order to focus on South American and other offshore production facilities. Removing CWR as a quarantine pest would allow the importation of quality growing stock from some of the world's foremost plant breeders in Europe, and would significantly enhance the opportunities for North American growers to access the best varieties available and thereby produce a top quality product that will be much more competitive with the current imports. It also seems inconsistent to prevent the importation of plant material such as cuttings due to the potential for CWR, when the importation of the finished chrysanthemum product is allowed. Since CWR is relatively easy to treat and control, it also seems a waste of government resources, and an unnecessary burden to growers, to quarantine and eradicate CWR if it does occur.