Washington State Department of Agriculture Plant Services Specialists inspected 320 production nurseries and 538 retail nurseries, and processed 19,965 samples for P. ramorum in 2008. Five of the nurseries inspected were placed under USDA Emergency Action Notification for the pathogen (1 landscape/wholesaler in Clark County, 1 retailer and 1 wholesaler in King County, 1 landscape/wholesaler in Snohomish County, and 1 landscape/wholesaler in Thurston County). Only one of the nurseries was a repeat positive. Since 2004, Washington has had fewer P. ramorum-positive nurseries each year.
One wholesale nursery in King County, WA, and another in Clark County, WA, each had a single PCR positive sample found during 2008 inspections; however, symptomatic plants were not found during a second inspection at either facility. Consequently, neither fell under USDA regulation due to the new Potentially Actionable Suspect Sample protocol, which requires a second positive sample be confirmed before federal action is taken. The positive blocks at both sites have been destroyed.
From COMTF February 2009 newsletter
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