Guidance for the movement of plants with soil and soil-related matter attached that are leaving a Japanese beetle regulated area located within British Columbia

May 5, 2023

The Phytosanitary Requirements to Prevent the Spread of Japanese Beetle, Popillia japonica, in Canada and the United States (D-96-15) were revised in May 2023. The movement guidelines are currently being updated to reflect changes affecting Japanese beetle requirements in the Province of British Columbia. Under the new guidelines, only plants with soil and soil-related matter attached require a movement certificate year-round to leave a Japanese beetle regulated area.

A movement certificate is no longer required to remove soil or plants and plant parts with no soil attached (above ground parts) from a Japanese beetle regulated area.

These changes will focus efforts on to the highest-risk pathway for the beetle to spread, which is plants with soil or soil-related matter attached. The goal of the Japanese beetle response remains eradication from the Province of BC.

If you require a site assessment or movement certificate to take plants with soil or soil-related matter attached outside of a Japanese beetle regulated area, please contact the local CFIA office by email at:

BCPF.Japanese.Beetle@inspection.gc.ca or by phone at: 604-292-5742.