Montana Plant Quarantine Program
The Montana Department of Agriculture administers and enforces several plant pest quarantines that affect interstate and international movement of agricultural commodities. These quarantines were adopted to prevent the introduction of pests that are not established in Montana and to protect Montana agricultural commodities.
Black Stem Rust Control
European Pine Shoot Moth (PDF)
Japanese Beetle Quarantine (PDF)
Lythrum Importation Quarantine
Potato and Tomato Late Blight Quarantine (PDF)
Seed Potato Disease Control
Quarantine Related Permits
Montana Code Annotated
Administrative Rules Update
Department Contact
Seed Potato Disease Control
Pest: Contagious diseases of seed potatoes
Regulated Area: All states
Regulated Articles: Certified seed potatoes for commercial purposes
Restrictions: Regulated articles may not be imported into Montana for any commercial purpose unless the seed potatoes meet all of the following conditions:
- from seed stock produced as a part of a certified seed potato crop in the state or country of origin and certified as being from that stock;
- subject to inspection at the Montana receiving point by a federal or state-federal standard grade inspector;
- shipped in a clean, disinfected container or transportation carrier; and
- accompanied by a USDA or state or origin certification of inspection describing the seed variety, seed class, standard grade, quality or condition, and seed source and have affixed to each inspection certificate an official state of origin seed potato certification tag or label.
Japanese Beetle
Pest: Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica)
Regulated Area: All states or parts of states that are infested with Japanese beetle, or found to be infested in the future.
Regulated Articles: Soil, humus, compost, all plants with roots, grass sod, plant crowns or roots for propagation (except when free from soil), bulbs, corms, tubers, and rhizomes of ornamental plants (except when free from soil), and any other plant, plant part, regulated article or means of conveyance when it is determined by the Montana Department of Agriculture to present a hazard of spreading live Japanese beetle due to infestation by Japanese beetle.
Restrictions: Regulated articles originating from areas subject to quarantine requirements must meet standards for shipment to a Category 1 state in order to enter Montana commerce. Quarantine requirements for a Category 1 state can be found in the U.S. Domestic Japanese Beetle Harmonization plan. Regulated articles shall not be shipped into Montana from any regulated areas, or within the state of Montana unless each shipment is accompanied by a state phytosanitary certificate or equivalent certification or quarantine compliance. For more information about regulated areas or quarantine requirements for a Category 1 state, contact the department at (406) 444-3730.
Additional restrictions and quarantines specific to Montana's interior Japanese beetle quarantine zone.
Lythrum Importation Quarantine [TOP]
Black Stem Rust Control [TOP]Pest: Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and Wand Loosestrife (L. virgatum)
Regulated Area: all states
Regulated Articles: All varieties and hybrids of plants, seeds, and propagative plant parts of Lythrum salicaria, and Lythrum virgatum. Common horticultural variety names include, but are not limited to: purple, wand, the beacon, fire candle, brightness, Ladysackville, Mr. Robert, Robert's, Happy, Roseum superbum, purple spire, rose queen, athe rocket, morden pink, morden gleam, morden rose, dropmore purple, and tomentosum.
Restrictions: Regulated articles may not be imported into Montana unless under permit issued by the Montana Department of Agriculture. The department may issue permits for herbarium, educational, and research purposes provided that there is no threat to Montana's native plant community. The permit shall include the terms and conditions under which the regulated articles will be kept.
Pest: Black stem rust, Puccinia graminis, is a fungal disease that has been responsible for several epidemics of wheat loss in the United States since the early 1900's. It's life cycle is dependent on two hosts, cereals and barberry plants. The Montana Department of Agriculture regulates the federal domestic black stem rust quarantine under a federal-state cooperative agreement.
The federal quarantine categorizes Montana as a protected area. This means that regulated articles are prohibited from moving interstate, into or through Montana. Regulated articles include Berberis, Mahoberberis, and Mahonia plants, including seedlings, seeds, fruits, and other plant parts capable of propagation. The federal quarantine includes a complete list of regulated articles.
*All Berberis seedlings and plants of less than 2 years' growth, and rust-susceptible Berberis, Mahoberberis and Mahonia plants, seeds, fruits and other plant parts capable of propagation are prohibited from moving interstate into or through any protected area.
The Montana Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with USDA APHIS PPQ, reviews and processes plant pest permits and biotechnology permits.For more information about Montana quarantines please contact:
Beth Eiring
Phone: (406) 444-9066
E-mail: EEiring@mt.gov
