Executive Order

Executive Order Rescinding Quarantine No. 3-A

    WHEREAS, Quarantine No. 3-A, effective on October 29, 1926, restricted cultivated black currant plant (Ribes nigrum) and its varieties, from being possessed, propagated, sold, or shipped into or within Montana; and

    WHEREAS, cultivated black currants are a host of white pine blister rust, a disease that is transmitted to native five-needle pine trees. Federal and state regulatory restrictions were placed into effect on black currants in the 1920's and 1930's and a nationwide effort was ordered to eradicate all native Ribes plants in forests. The eradication effort failed and the federal quarantine was repealed in 1968. All western states, except Montana, repealed their quarantine at that time; and

    WHEREAS, most reforestation of five-needle pines today is being done with white pine blister rust resistant stock; there are also several black currant varieties that are rust resistant that are available for cultivation; and

    WHEREAS, the primary infection source for white pine blister rust today is most likely originating from native black currants in the forest -- cultivated, resistant species of black currants would not pose a new risk for white pine blister rust; and W

    HEREAS, pest management standards can be adopted by administrative rule pursuant to Title 80, Chapter 7, Part 4, MCA, to mitigate the risk of White Pine Blister Rust from cultivated black currants. The Montana Department of Agriculture, upon the request of the forest industry, can propose pest management standards to black currant growers. These standards may include suitable locations in Montana which would allow for commercial production of cultivated black currants and have minimal risk of blister rust infection to Montana's five-needle pines, and provide guidelines on what cultivated varieties are white pine blister rust resistant.

    NOW, THEREFORE, I, MARC RACICOT, Governor of the State of Montana, by virtue of the authority vested in me under the laws and Constitution of the State of Montana, do hereby rescind Quarantine No. 3-A.

    This order is effective immediately.

	GIVEN under my hand and the GREAT SEAL of the State of Montana, this ___ day of __________, 2000. MARC RACICOT, Governor
ATTEST: MIKE COONEY, Secretary of State