Farmers planning to ship hay this winter need to be aware that Smith County (as is much of East Texas) is in the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Fire Ant Quarantine area.
The following is a map of the quarantine counties in the state according to the TDA.
Subchapter J of Title 4 of the Texas Administrative Code prohibits the movement of baled hay stored directly on the ground from quarantined counties to non-quarantined counties in the state or US.
According to the TDA, shipments from quarantined areas are allowed entry into or through the free areas under the following conditions.
(1) A phytosanitary certificate or permit must accompany the movement of quarantined articles from any quarantined area into or through any point outside thereof.
(2) Phytosanitary certificates or permits may be issued by an inspector or under the authority of a compliance agreement if the quarantined articles:
(A) have originated in certified imported fire ant free premises in a quarantined area and have not been exposed to infestation while within the quarantined area; or
(B) upon examination, have been found to be free of infestation; or
(C) have been treated to destroy infestation in accordance with approved procedures; or
(D) have been grown, produced, manufactured, stored, or handled in such a manner that no infestation would be transmitted.
(3) Phytosanitary certificates or permits shall be securely attached to the outside of the container in which the articles are moved except where the certificate or permit is attached to the shipping document and the quarantined articles are adequately described on the shipping document or on the certificate or permit.
Call the TDA at 214-631-0265 for information on obtaining a phytosanitary certificate.
