Public paper · October 11, 2026 · Farms desk
USDA Final Rule Ends Chrysanthemum White Rust Import Restrictions on Fresh Cut Mums and Moves Cut-Flower Entry Rules to an Online Database, Effective November 9
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service published a final rule October 8 that removes chrysanthemum white rust restrictions on imported fresh cut chrysanthemums and moves specific cut-flower import requirements into USDA's Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements database. It takes effect November 9, 2026.
noticenearby.com/papers/usda-aphis-cut-flower-chrysanthemum-white-rust-rule-nov-9.pdf
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published a final rule on October 8, 2026 (FR Doc. 2026-20630, Docket APHIS-2019-0024) changing how fresh cut flowers are regulated at the border. It takes effect November 9, 2026.
What changes
- Chrysanthemum white rust (CWR) restrictions end. CWR is a fungal disease. The rule removes all CWR-specific restrictions on fresh cut flowers of the genera Chrysanthemum, Leucanthemella and Nipponanthemum from places where the disease is known to exist. Until now, these flowers needed a registered, inspected place of production, phytosanitary certification and labeled boxes.
- Rules move to a database. Requirements for specific cut flowers come out of the Code of Federal Regulations and go into USDA's Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements (ACIR) database. APHIS can then update them through a notice-based process.
- Inspection stays. All imported cut flowers are still inspected at U.S. ports of entry.
Why USDA says it is doing this
APHIS says an economic evaluation found that its eradication policy for CWR "is no longer technically and economically justified." It also notes that fungicides are available, which gives growers another way to comply. The rule was first proposed April 17, 2023.
Who is affected
U.S. greenhouse and nursery growers who raise chrysanthemums, florists and flower wholesalers. Growers worried about disease pressure should talk with their state plant regulators and extension service about fungicide programs.
Contact
Julie Orr, APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine, Beltsville, MD, (240) 946-0542.
Source
- Federal Register, FR Doc. 2026-20630, APHIS final rule, "Cut Flowers Regulations; Removal of Chrysanthemum White Rust-Related Provisions," published October 8, 2026, effective November 9, 2026. A related APHIS notice is FR Doc. 2026-20631.
Notes and sources
- Image: Chrysanthemums growing in a greenhouse (historical photo). Photo: Unknown author via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).
- Author: Ryan Standley / Record of Sale, LLC / Notice Nearby.
- Discussed on @NoticeNearYou: (pending — fill xPostUrl after live post).
- Not legal advice. Not a newspaper. Not Legal Publication. Record of Sale, LLC (Oregon).
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Not legal advice. Not a newspaper. Not Legal Publication. Record of Sale, LLC (Oregon).