Small Business Affected
This emergency rule may have an impact on persons or companies that deal in any nursery stock, hardwood firewood or timber materials in Taylor County. The affected businesses are all small businesses. This emergency rule restricts the sale or distribution of nursery trees, Christmas trees, timber and raw wood products plus any hardwood firewood from Taylor County to locations outside of the county or any contiguously quarantined counties, and to neighboring states.
The business impact of this emergency rule depends on the number of:
1) nurseries that sell/distribute nursery stock outside this county,
2) firewood producers/dealers that sell/distribute outside this county,
3) loggers and sawmills that move untreated timber or raw wood products outside this county, and
4) untreated wood waste (e.g. brush, chips or mulch) that is moved outside this county.
Taylor County has a total of 11 licensed nursery growers and dealers that could possibly transport nursery stock. Taylor County also has 19 licensed Christmas tree growers. Those growers will not be able to move or sell nursery stock and cut Christmas trees outside of the quarantine area without a compliance agreement with DATCP or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (“APHIS”) that authorizes movement of nursery stock and cut trees outside of the quarantine only when there is assurance that the movement will not spread GM to non-quarantined locations.
There are an estimated 13 firewood dealers in Taylor County. Firewood dealers would need to be certified under s. ATCP 21.20 to sell or move firewood outside of the contiguous quarantine area. To obtain certification, a firewood dealer pays a $50 annual certification fee to DATCP and treats the firewood in a manner that ensures it is free of regulated insect pests. There are an estimated 13 lumber mills in Taylor County and an estimated 11 other tree service/wood processing facilities that may also deal with woody material. These businesses also will have to enter into a compliance agreement to transport logs, timber or raw wood products outside of the quarantine area.
Reporting, Bookkeeping and other Procedures
Nursery growers will not have any additional reporting or record-keeping requirements. Wood products industries (e.g. loggers, firewood producers or sawmills) and Christmas tree growers who enter into a compliance agreement shall keep records of all regulated product movement that leaves the contiguous quarantine area.
Professional Skills Required
No additional professional skills are required.
Accommodation for Small Business
DATCP recognizes that every small business is different. DATCP will work with individual businesses to meet the requirements of the quarantine while accommodating the unique character of the individual business. Therefore compliance agreements will be designed to satisfy the regulations with minimal negative effects to the business.
Conclusion
This rule will help affected businesses in Taylor County to move nursery stock and timber material without moving GM to areas free from GM. This will in turn help to protect the resources on which these businesses depend. This rule may impose additional costs on some businesses, including small businesses, depending on the nature of their reliance on nursery trees or timber products. The department works closely with each affected business to minimize any costs and these costs are outweighed by the protection of Wisconsin’s woodland and forest resource.
