In response to the growing trend toward more industry self certification and toward systems based approaches to plant certification, a new independent industry body has been established in Canada.

During the fall and winter of 2005-06 the CLNA is administering a project, funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s ACAAF program, which will design a voluntary program for the certification of nurseries wishing to ship product domestically.

These nurseries have been sampled and tested as per the requirements of the Canadian P. ramorum Certification Program.

The Canadian P. ramorum Certification program, developed by the BCLNA and CNLA in conjunction with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada and the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Fisheries, is designed to minimize the risk of Canadian or USA nurseries receiving or spreading P. ramorum.