A SANC-Style National Citrus Nursery Certification: Growing a Stronger, Safer Industry

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Welcome, citrus growers and nursery friends! There’s a new idea sprouting in our community – a proposed National Citrus Nursery Certification Scheme. This concept, introduced by Aaron Dillon of NCNA at the NCNA/USDA meeting in Columbus on July 15, 2025, is modeled after the successful SANC program used in other nursery sectors. (SANC stands for “Systems Approach to Nursery Certification,” a voluntary program emphasizing best practices and proactive pest management.) In this blog post, we’ll break down what a SANC-style certification for citrus would look like, the benefits it could bring to your nursery, and the challenges and questions raised by fellow growers. Grab a cup of coffee or tea (with a slice of lemon, of course) and let’s dive in!

What is the Proposed Certification Scheme?

Think of the Citrus Nursery Certification Scheme as a “gold standard” for citrus nurseries, much like SANC is for ornamentals and other crops. It’s a voluntary certification program where nurseries implement a comprehensive set of practices to prevent pests and diseases, ensure plant health, and document their efforts to maintain this standard. Instead of relying solely on inspectors to catch problems, a SANC-style approach means building pest prevention into your everyday operations – from greenhouse sanitation and employee training to rigorous Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plans and internal audits.

Aaron Dillon explained that the scheme would borrow heavily from the SANC model that many nurseries across the country have adopted. Nurseries would develop a manual outlining their production processes, conduct regular self-assessments, train staff, and undergo periodic external audits by certified auditors. Those who meet the standards get to be “Certified Citrus Clean” (or whatever we end up calling it) – complete with a recognizable logo or tag to show customers and regulators that your nursery meets higher benchmarks for quality and cleanliness. Essentially, it’s about creating a system where everyone – from management to crew – is proactively keeping things clean and safe, rather than waiting for an inspector to tell them something’s wrong.

Key Benefits for Growers

Why would a busy grower like you consider adding a certification program to your plate? At the July 14 Nursery Certification Benefits Review session organized by HortAmerica, growers already using SANC shared some compelling benefits. Here are the highlights they discussed:

• Stronger Employee Training & Expertise: Several growers reported that going through SANC forced them to clarify roles and train their teams better. “Employee training was really good… we nailed down job descriptions of what everyone’s responsibilities were,” said one nursery manager. New hires can be onboarded more easily because there’s a clear system to teach them. It turns out a certification program isn’t just a paper exercise – it actively shapes a more knowledgeable team.

• Operational Cleanliness & Organization: Growers emphasized that the certification process helped instill a culture of cleanliness. One participant from a SANC-certified nursery shared that “everything’s cleaner, ...healthier... we keep a better greenhouse” now. Daily routines like disinfecting tools, vehicles, and work areas become second nature. As another grower put it, once you “create a culture [of] keeping everything tight and clean,” it “just becomes a normal everyday activity” that everyone is proud to maintain. The result? A tidier, safer nursery operation where pests and diseases struggle to find a foothold.

• Robust IPM & Plant Health: SANC-style programs put heavy focus on Integrated Pest Management. Growers develop detailed pest risk assessments and monitoring plans. One early adopter noted that “it really created a much more robust IPM program... made us a better nursery” overall. By catching issues early and emphasizing prevention, certified nurseries produce cleaner plant material (which means happier customers and fewer sleepless nights worrying about the next inspection!).

• Accountability through Audits: The idea of audits might sound scary at first, but growers in the program actually found it motivating. Regular internal audits (done by your own staff) and periodic external audits keep everyone on their toes. One grower said these checks help keep “everybody accountable at every level,” making surprise inspections much less worrisome. Another mentioned that having outside auditors reinforces the importance of certain tasks: “sometimes having someone from outside come in strengthens that request” for proper procedure, which helps get all employees on board. In short, the certification’s structure ensures you do the right things consistently, rather than only when someone’s watching.

• State Regulatory Recognition (Long-Term Goal): An important hope tied to a national certification is that state and federal regulators will recognize certified nurseries as lower-risk. In theory, this could mean streamlined paperwork or fewer hurdles when shipping plants interstate. Some states’ plant officials have been involved in SANC’s development, and growers noted that going through the program let them build closer relationships with their inspectors. “It really helped us work much closer with the state regulatory officials,” one nursery said, which builds trust. The ultimate vision is that agencies might eventually grant regulatory relief – such as reduced inspection frequency or simpler shipping requirements – to nurseries that prove they have these rigorous systems in place. (More on the current reality of this in the Challenges section below.)

In short, a SANC-style certification could professionalize your operation: better training, better procedures, better plants. One participant summed it up by saying “it was the right thing to do” for their nursery, and many others agreed that it made them “better growers” with cleaner nurseries and more confidence in their processes.

The Logo, Tags, and Marketing Value

Beyond the internal benefits, what about marketing value – can being certified help you sell more trees? The idea of a certification logo or tag came up a lot in discussions. After all, if you put in the work to be top-tier, you’d want customers to know it!

Growers love the concept of a recognizable seal of approval. It’s like a badge that says: “Our nursery meets the highest standards – you can trust these trees.” One grower from the SANC program said a big benefit they want to see is customers recognizing they’re getting a superior product. “We’d like our customers to perceive that they’re getting a better product because we’re SANC certified,” he explained. In other words, the certification could become a selling point – a way to differentiate your trees from those of a non-certified nursery down the road.

However, some practical concerns were raised. Citrus nurseries already deal with a lot of mandatory tags and labels (variety tags, disease-free certifications, state inspection tags – you name it). Adding yet another tag on each tree was viewed as cumbersome and costly. As one NCNA member pointed out, growers were “concerned about adding another tag to the trees… we already have so many certifications on the tree, and that adds cost on top of everything else.” No one wants to slow down production or raise prices with an extra tagging step.

A smart solution that emerged is to leverage a logo in other ways. For example, instead of physically tagging every plant with a certification label, nurseries could use a logo on shipping boxes, invoices, or websites. One grower from a SANC-certified operation shared their approach: “We put the logo on our shipping boxes so that when things are going out, it’s not an extra tag... We also have it on the paperwork.” This way, the customer still sees the certified logo and gets the message that these plants come with higher quality assurance, but the nursery doesn’t have to literally tie a new tag onto each tree. Importantly, this participant noted that using the logo in this manner did not add any extra cost to their operations (it’s basically just printing on existing materials).

Marketing outreach was another theme. For the logo to have value, customers need to recognize it and care. NCNA members discussed the need to spread the word about what the certification means. Ideas floated around like encouraging large buyers – say, independent garden centers or big retail chains – to prefer certified nurseries as suppliers. If Home Depot or local garden shops start asking, “Hey, are you guys certified? We’d rather buy from those who are,” that would certainly get growers’ attention! Achieving that kind of market pull will require some industry-wide marketing, but having a national NCNA-backed program (with a shiny logo and tag-line) could make it possible. At the very least, we’ll need to educate customers on why a certified citrus tree is better – perhaps through trade shows, articles, and of course good old conversations with buyers. Marketing was repeatedly mentioned as key to “get the word out that the value of a [certified] nursery” is a cut above.

So, while there are concerns about implementation, the consensus was that branding our high standards could be a win-win. It gives proud growers a way to show off their hard work and gives customers confidence that they’re purchasing from a nursery that goes the extra mile to ship them healthy, problem-free trees.

Challenges and Concerns Raised

Every rose has its thorns, and similarly this rosy idea of certification comes with some challenges to consider. Growers at the meetings weren’t shy about voicing a few hard questions. Here are the main concerns that came up, so we can tackle them head-on:

• No Direct Regulatory Relief (Yet): One of the driving hopes for a certification program is easier dealings with regulators – but will agencies actually ease up? This was perhaps the biggest frustration voiced by those already in SANC. “I haven’t seen really any regulatory relief at all from being part of SANC,” admitted one grower frankly. The idea of SANC is that state/federal officials would trust certified nurseries more, but so far participants feel they “get like no credit for the fact that we’re SANC certified” when it comes to inspections and permits. Ouch. For citrus, this is a valid worry: If we invest in a program, will USDA or state authorities modify any rules for us? At the Columbus meeting, some members pointed out that currently USDA’s “zero-tolerance” disease protocols (where a single positive plant can trigger a complete stop-sale) would still apply even if you’re certified. There’s no formal agreement (yet) that a certified citrus nursery would get a lighter touch. However, this challenge isn’t a deal-breaker so much as a call to action. NCNA and partner organizations (like AmericanHort and the National Plant Board) are discussing ways to build recognition for such programs. The hope is that over time, if many nurseries are certified, regulators might allow certain flexibilities – for example, maybe expedited recertification after a quarantine, or fewer routine inspections for consistently clean nurseries. For now, though, we have to go in with eyes open that certification is not a free pass from any existing rules. It’s about reducing risk, not eliminating regulation.

• Customer Awareness and Demand: As mentioned in the marketing section, a certification won’t help much if customers don’t know what it is. Some growers are skeptical: “Will our buyers even care that we did this?” It’s a fair question. The extra effort needs to translate into a selling advantage. We’ve all seen programs that end up as “feel-good badges” without actually boosting sales. During the discussions, a lot of emphasis was placed on educating customers – whether that’s wholesale buyers, retail nurseries, or even the end consumer who buys a citrus tree for their backyard. This is not an overnight task. NCNA might need to provide marketing materials or campaigns to highlight certified nurseries. The encouraging part is that other segments (ornamental growers, etc.) are also pushing in this direction, so we’re not alone. If we do this, we’ll want to showcase success stories (e.g., a retail chain that actively seeks out certified stock). In short, we need to cultivate demand for certified citrus trees by communicating the added value (cleanliness, quality, less risk) to all stakeholders.

• Costs and Implementation Burden: Let’s face it – implementing a certification program will cost time and money at the nursery level. Even if the program itself is voluntary, you may need to devote staff hours to developing a nursery manual, training employees, record-keeping, and preparing for audits. For smaller nurseries in particular, that can sound daunting. One citrus grower worried aloud about the scheme becoming “an extra layer of documentation” and work when resources are already stretched. However, growers who have been through SANC offered some reassurance: Much of the program involves formalizing things good nurseries are already doing. “Much of what we do for SANC are things we were doing already... now we do them all the time, and do the right thing every time,” one participant explained, noting that the structure simply makes your practices more consistent and disciplined. There is an upfront effort – “an investment in time up front” to analyze risks and set up procedures – but once the system is in place, it becomes routine and not a cumbersome bureaucracy. As one grower put it, “everybody... has signed on. They’re really happy and proud to be part of it, so it just becomes a normal everyday activity.” In terms of direct costs, there may be expenses like audit fees or training materials, but there was also talk of pursuing funding support. (NCNA is exploring grants or partnerships that could help offset costs for nurseries, especially during the pilot phase of this program – stay tuned for more on that.) Bottom line: Yes, it will take work to get certified, but the consensus was that the benefits in efficiency and risk reduction can outweigh the effort, especially if we support each other through it.

• “Yet Another Program?” Fatigue: A more philosophical concern raised was whether this certification might overlap or conflict with existing requirements. Citrus nurseries already navigate state certification programs (like California’s CDFA requirements, or Texas’s budwood certification, etc.), insect-free certifications, and compliance agreements for pests like Asian citrus psyllid. Adding a national layer needs to complement these, not complicate them. The good news is that the SANC approach is flexible – it’s meant to encompass all those specific requirements under one quality system. In theory, being SANC (or an equivalent citrus program) means you’re meeting or exceeding the existing rules in a systematic way. During the meetings, there were no definitive answers here yet, but NCNA’s intention is to design the citrus certification in a way that it streamlines compliance with other protocols (so you’re not doing twice the work). This will be an important area for ongoing discussion with regulatory agencies to ensure alignment.

How a Certification Could Strengthen the Citrus Nursery Industry

Despite the challenges, there was an undercurrent of optimism in these discussions. Participants kept circling back to a key point: raising our industry standards voluntarily could make us all stronger in the long run. Here’s how a SANC-style certification scheme might fortify the citrus nursery sector and reduce risk:

• Unified Best Practices: If many nurseries adopt the program, it creates a common language and set of practices across the industry. As one grower observed, it put everyone “in the same boat… all rowing in the same direction,” which has been “super nice” for their network of nurseries. When all nurseries follow similar protocols (from how we propagate trees to how we scout for pests), it means fewer weak links in the chain. Pests and diseases are less likely to slip through the cracks if every nursery is maintaining a high level of vigilance.

• Reduced Disease and Pest Incidents: The most obvious win would be healthier trees and fewer outbreaks. Certification can act as an extra layer of defense. Nurseries will conduct regular internal inspections and risk assessments, which means problems could be caught and fixed before they lead to a shutdown or quarantine. For example, many SANC nurseries report dramatic improvements in pest management – some issues simply don’t occur anymore because their preventative measures are so robust. In the citrus world, think about diseases like HLB or citrus canker: a coordinated emphasis on cleanliness and monitoring could help prevent an infected plant from ever leaving a nursery, thereby protecting the whole industry from regulatory fallout. It’s not foolproof, but it certainly lowers the risk of those nightmare scenarios where a nursery has to destroy all its trees due to a disease find. As was noted in the meeting, currently if a serious breach happens, a nursery can face weeks or months of closure and costly plant destruction. By minimizing the chance of such breaches, certification could save growers from those devastating losses.

• Stronger Voice with Regulators: When growers band together to maintain high standards, it also gives us greater credibility when we ask for regulatory changes. NCNA is already pushing for common-sense updates to policies (like more reasonable HLB protocols and transparency in testing). If we can show that, as an industry, we’re proactively policing ourselves through this certification, it lends weight to our advocacy. Regulators are more likely to listen to “we’d like this rule tweaked” if we demonstrate we’ve got our house in order. In fact, the idea of a USDA-endorsed certification logo was even mentioned at a national citrus roundtable as a way to help curb issues like illegal plant shipments. This scheme could potentially become that very thing – an officially recognized mark of a clean citrus nursery – giving us leverage to ask for things like interstate shipping simplifications or quicker response protocols in the future.

• Peace of Mind and Confidence: Let’s not overlook the personal aspect. Running a citrus nursery in the age of HLB can be stressful. Knowing you have a strong system in place and a support network of other certified growers can help you sleep a little better at night. One grower mentioned how during a surprise pesticide inspection, they were completely at ease because “everything was in order” thanks to their certification program’s record-keeping. Imagine feeling that level of confidence that your nursery is always ready for whatever comes – that’s a big psychological benefit. It can also boost staff morale; employees take pride in being part of an elite program (some even wear it as a badge of honor). When everyone from the owner to the crew knows exactly what to do and why it matters, it fosters a sense of teamwork and professionalism that elevates the whole business.

In summary, a certification scheme could be a cornerstone for a more resilient citrus nursery industry. By collectively committing to higher standards, we protect each other from threats that could otherwise spread and harm the market. It’s about creating an environment where doing the right thing is normalized and rewarded – and where one nursery’s issue doesn’t become everyone’s issue. In the long run, that means a steadier business for all of us, with fewer nasty surprises.

Join the Conversation: What Do You Think?

The idea of a National Citrus Nursery Certification Scheme is still in the proposal stage – nothing is set in stone yet. That’s why your voice matters so much right now. We’ve heard from some growers in these meetings, but this blog is a place to keep the discussion going in the wider community.

Now we want to hear from you: Would you participate in a SANC-style certification program for your nursery? What excites you about it, and what worries you? Do you think customers would prefer buying from a certified nursery, or do we need to create that demand? Perhaps you’ve been part of a similar program in another industry – what was your experience? Please share your thoughts in the comments below! 👇

This is meant to be a grower-driven initiative, and your feedback will shape how (and if) we move forward. Maybe you have a great idea for making the logo more marketable, or a suggestion for how to get regulators on board – don’t keep it to yourself! By talking openly about the pros and cons, we can ensure that if we do launch a certification scheme, it truly benefits every citrus nursery from the smallest grower to the largest.

Let’s keep this conversation friendly and constructive. We’re all on the same team here – a team that loves citrus and wants our nurseries to thrive for the long haul. Thanks for reading this lengthy post (I did warn you to get a cup of coffee! 😀). I’m looking forward to an engaging discussion. Together, we can decide if a “Certified Citrus Nursery” program is the next big step for our industry.

— Happy growing, and don’t forget to comment below! 🌱🍊