The department must establish certification standards and procedures for citrus budwood and citrus nurseries, and each citrus nursery must file source tree bud cutting reports within 30 days after trees are budded.
Sec. 19.007. CERTIFICATION STANDARDS. (a) The department shall establish: (1) the certification standards for genetic purity for varieties of citrus budwood by type; (2) procedures that must be followed to prevent the introduction of dangerous citrus pathogens into budwood stock from and in foundation groves; (3) procedures for certification of citrus budwood grown in foundation groves; and (4) procedures for certification of citrus nurseries and citrus nursery trees. (b) The department shall establish standards and procedures for: (1) inspecting and testing for diseases, using current technologies in disease diagnosis, and for desirable horticultural characteristics of citrus budwood grown in designated foundation groves; (2) certifying citrus budwood and citrus nurseries meeting requirements established under this chapter; (3) maintaining a source of citrus budwood of superior tested varieties for distribution to the citrus industry; (4) verifying propagation of citrus varieties and special rootstocks for growers on request, including an inspection of the citrus nursery's books and records; (5) maintaining appropriate records required for participation in the citrus budwood certification and citrus nursery stock certification programs; (6) inspecting citrus nurseries to ensure that the structures in which citrus nursery stock is propagated meet standards set by the department, including standards for: (A) size; (B) construction; (C) insect resistance; (D) citrus nursery sanitation; (E) movement of the citrus nursery stock from one structure to another at the nursery; (F) proximity to nearby citrus groves; and (G) other standards for the operation of a certified nursery as may be required by the department; and (7) requiring each citrus nursery to submit source tree bud cutting reports to the department not later than the 30th day after citrus trees are budded. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 358, Sec. 1, eff. June 8, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1117, Sec. 6, eff. June 19, 1997. Amended by: Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 166 (S.B. 1427), Sec. 7, eff. September 1, 2013.