🌿NCNA at the National Plant Board: Advancing Citrus Nursery Protocols

Mar 24
3 min read

Updated: Apr 7

The National Citrus Nursery Association (NCNA) continues to serve as a unified voice for citrus nurseries across the United States, working to ensure that regulatory frameworks are both scientifically sound and operationally practical. A key example of this effort took place in October 2025, when NCNA representatives participated in the National Plant Board (NPB) Safeguarding Meeting in Annapolis, Maryland.

NCNA’s participation—led by industry representatives including Nate Jameson from Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery, Ricky Becnel from Saxon Becnel & Sons, and Aaron Dillon from Four Winds Growers—was formally requested to provide input on the interstate Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol (CNSP), a regulatory framework that directly impacts nursery operations nationwide.

Why the National Plant Board matters

The National Plant Board is a critical body composed of state plant regulatory officials from across the United States. While it does not set federal policy, it plays a key advisory role by developing recommendations that inform USDA regulatory decisions. With participation from dozens of states and territories, as well as federal agencies and industry stakeholders, NPB meetings provide a unique forum where science, regulation, and industry realities intersect.

For citrus nurseries, engagement at this level is essential. Decisions influenced by NPB recommendations can shape inspection protocols, compliance requirements, and the movement of nursery stock across state lines.

What NCNA brought to the discussion

At the October meeting, NCNA presented an industry perspective on the current Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol, focusing on practical challenges that nurseries face under existing regulations.

A central theme was the mismatch between regulatory requirements and real-world nursery operations. Key concerns included:

Inflexible shipping windows, which do not always align with production cycles, customer demand, or regional conditions
Operational constraints, particularly for nurseries serving both wholesale and retail markets
Compliance burden, including inspection frequency, documentation, and traceability requirements, relative to actual risk mitigation

NCNA emphasized that while safeguarding plant health is a shared priority, regulatory approaches must remain adaptable and grounded in operational realities.

Collaborative problem-solving and early outcomes

The meeting included structured breakout sessions bringing together state regulators, federal representatives, and industry participants to explore potential improvements to the CNSP.

Feedback from the National Plant Board was broadly supportive of revisiting aspects of the protocol, including the need for greater flexibility and clearer pathways for nurseries to recover from detections or compliance events.

While no final decisions were made, the discussion marked an important step toward aligning regulatory intent with practical implementation.

Proposed direction: toward a more workable protocol

Following the meeting, NCNA began developing a set of proposed modifications to the CNSP for internal review and industry feedback. These proposals aim to:

Introduce risk-based responses rather than blanket restrictions
Establish clear, science-based pathways for resuming operations after detections
Reduce unnecessary disruption while maintaining strong plant health safeguards

Examples discussed include targeted stop-sale measures limited to affected areas, structured inspection timelines, and defined criteria for resuming interstate movement following negative testing results.

In addition, NCNA raised broader considerations, including reevaluating diseases that may no longer pose a significant risk in nursery systems and proactively preparing for future pest and disease challenges.

Why this matters to your nursery

The interstate Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol affects nearly every aspect of nursery operations, including:

When and how plants can be shipped across state lines
Inspection and sampling requirements
Responses to pest or disease detections
Customer fulfillment timelines

Changes to the protocol—whether incremental or substantial—can directly impact business continuity, logistics, and risk management strategies.

By engaging at the national level, NCNA is working to ensure that nursery perspectives are incorporated into these decisions.

NCNA’s role moving forward

The October 2025 meeting represents an important milestone, but the process is ongoing. The National Plant Board provides recommendations, and USDA ultimately determines regulatory outcomes.

NCNA is actively seeking feedback from its members on proposed changes and will continue to engage with regulators to advocate for practical, science-based solutions.

Looking ahead

As regulatory discussions evolve, one thing remains clear: nursery participation matters. The ability to communicate real-world challenges—and propose workable solutions—is critical to shaping policies that both protect plant health and support a viable citrus nursery industry.

NCNA will continue to keep members informed and engaged as this process moves forward.

📌 What this means for your nursery

CNSP changes could affect shipping timelines and compliance requirements
Greater flexibility may be introduced for handling detections and resuming operations
Your input helps shape future regulatory decisions
Staying engaged ensures your business realities are represented