RMD-13-04: Consolidated Pest Risk Management Document for pest plants regulated by Canada
Appendix 13C: Assessment of Measures for Senecio madagascariensis (Madacascar ragwort)
This page is part of the Guidance Document Repository (GDR).
Looking for related documents?
Search for related documents in the Guidance Document Repository
- Field Crops Not Intended for Propagation
- Seeds
- Imports of forage and grass seed for sowing from countries where Senecio madagascariensis is present
- Travellers and Their Effects
Field Crops Not Intended for Propagation
Previous imports
- Between 2006 and 2008, an average of approximately $402 million per year of cereals (small grain cereals and corn, excluding rice) were imported into Canada. Of this value, less than 0.1% came from countries where Senecio madagascariensis is present. An average value of $143,000 and an average quantity of 8,102 tonnes per year (between 2006 and 2008) of cereals were imported from countries where the weed is present (Table 2).
- The level of risk associated with the import of cereal grain into Canada is very low since the imports originate primarily from areas where Senecio madagascariensis is absent.
Import data for cereal grains originating from places where Senecio madagascariensis is present.
Product | Exporting Country Table Note ** | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|---|
HS 1001 - Wheat | Argentina | 0 | 0 | 250,050 |
HS 1001 - Wheat | U.S. - Hawaii | 0 | 0 | 1,151 |
HS 100590 - Maize (excluding sweet corn) | Colombia | 8,520 | 5,107 | 3,036 |
HS 100590 - Maize (excluding sweet corn) | Argentina | 2,982 | 96,519 | 2,562 |
HS 1008 - Buckwheat, millet, canary seed; other unmilled cereals Table Note * | Colombia | 8,181 | 13,875 | 38,927 |
Total: | 19,683 | 115,501 | 295,726 |
Product | Exporting Country Table Note ** | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|---|
HS 1001 - Wheat | Argentina | 0 | 0 | 320 |
HS 1001 - Wheat | U.S. - Hawaii | 0 | 0 | 4 |
HS 100590 - Maize (excluding sweet corn) | Colombia | 39 | 13 | 12 |
HS 100590 - Maize (excluding sweet corn) | Argentina | 42 | 329 | 119 |
HS 1008 - Buckwheat, millet, canary seed; other unmilled cereals Table Note * | Colombia | 2,191 | 5,883 | 15,354 |
Total: | 2,272 | 6,225 | 15,809 |
Source: Statistics Canada 2009
Table Notes
- Table note star 1
-
Quantity listed as N/A
- Table note star 2
-
Countries with an import value of less than $1,000 are not included.
Potential risk mitigation measures
Regulate Senecio madagascariensis as a quarantine pest under the Plant Protection Act and add this species to the List of Pests Regulated by Canada (CFIA 2009) in order to:
- Prevent the importation, movement, and cultivation of this species in Canada.
- Enable inspectors to take appropriate action for the purposes of eradicating the pest or preventing its spread Footnote 1.
Regulatory actions under the Plant Protection Act could include one or more of the following:
- Requirement for a Phytosanitary Certificate with or without an Additional Declaration stating freedom from Senecio madagascariensis.
- Recognition of Pest Free Areas – if Senecio madagascariensis can be shown to be absent from the country/state/region from which the field crop product was propagated, then risk is negligible and additional phytosanitary requirements may be waived.
- Requirement for an import permit indicating specific import requirements and conditions for the pest status, handling and use of the commodity.
Note: End uses impact risk and may therefore impact required risk mitigation measures. Regulatory measures may be waived for those commodities that have been treated or processed such that the risk of introduction of Senecio madagascariensis has been reduced to an acceptable level.
Trade implications
- Since a small value of grain imports are originating from countries where Senecio madagascariensis is present, reduction and or loss of import markets if exporting countries are unable to meet proposed phytosanitary requirements would be low.
- Lack of Canadian regulation could compromise market access for Canadian commodities should Senecio madagascariensis become established.
- Exporting countries may have to devote resources toward inspection of grain commodities and the issuance of Phytosanitary Certificates.
- Regulation of Senecio madagascariensis under the Plant Protection Act will help to maintain export of grain from BC to the US (approximately $9.3 million in 2008; Industry Canada 2009), where Senecio madagascariensis is regulated as a federal noxious weed.
Feasibility
Resources will be needed by CFIA for marketplace monitoring and sampling, inspector training, and communication material development.
Seeds
Previous imports
- The Seed Science and Technology Section of the CFIA Saskatoon laboratory maintains a record of contaminants through the marketplace monitoring of domestic and imported seed. From the year 2000 to present, Senecio madagascariensis has not been recorded in samples analysed by the Seed Lab.
- The average value of imported forage and grass seed for sowing between 2006 and 2008 was approximately $37 million. Imports from countries where Senecio madagascariensis is present made up 1.8% (approximately $683,000 per year from 2006 to 2008) of this value (Industry Canada 2009). An approximate average of 178,000 kilograms of forage and grass seed was imported into Canada.
Imports of forage and grass seed for sowing from countries where Senecio madagascariensis is present.
Table 3a-3d: Value in Canadian Dollars ($)
Product | Exporting Country | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|---|
HS 120921 - Alfalfa | Australia | 208,607 | 234,443 | 198,929 |
HS 120921 - Alfalfa | Argentina | 56 | 3,122 | 0 |
Subtotal: | 208,663 | 237,565 | 198,929 |
Product | Exporting Country | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|---|
HS 120922 – Clover | Australia | 119,673 | 364,365 | 0 |
HS 120922 – Clover | Argentina | 43,769 | 91,082 | 146,970 |
Subtotal: | 163,442 | 455,447 | 146,970 |
Product | Exporting Country | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|---|
HS 120923 – Fescue | Japan | 0 | 0 | 2,505 |
HS 120925 - Rye grass | Argentina | 0 | 17,242 | 0 |
HS 120929 - Seed of forage plants | Argentina | 28,760 | 445,141 | 142,798 |
HS 120929 - Seed of forage plants | Japan | 0 | 970 | 2,475 |
Subtotal: | 28,760 | 446,111 | 145,273 |
Exporting Country | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|
Total: | 400,865 | 1,156,365 | 493,677 |
Table 3a-3d: Quantity in Kilograms (KGM)
Product | Exporting Country | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|---|
HS 120921 - Alfalfa | Australia | 69,571 | 41,718 | 31,372 |
HS 120921 - Alfalfa | Argentina | 11 | 513 | 0 |
Subtotal: | 69,582 | 42,231 | 31,372 |
Product | Exporting Country | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|---|
HS 120922 – Clover | Australia | 31,500 | 105,331 | 0 |
HS 120922 – Clover | Argentina | 17,900 | 33,300 | 41,300 |
Subtotal: | 49,400 | 138,631 | 41,300 |
Product | Exporting Country | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|---|
HS 120923 – Fescue | Japan | 0 | 0 | 1,474 |
HS 120925 -Rye grass | Argentina | 0 | 24,990 | 0 |
HS 120929 - Seed of forage plants | Argentina | 6,100 | 98,036 | 32,204 |
HS 120929 - Seed of forage plants | Japan | 0 | 154 | 903 |
Subtotal: | 6,100 | 98,190 | 33,107 |
Exporting Country | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|
Total: | 125,082 | 304,042 | 107,253 |
Source: Statistics Canada 2009
- Countries where the plant is present between 2006 and 2008 (Table 3 )
- The level of risk associated with imports of grass and forage seed into Canada is low since they originate primarily from areas where Senecio madagascariensis is absent.
Potential risk mitigation measures
- Regulate Senecio madagascariensis as a prohibited noxious weed (Class 1) under the Weed Seeds Order of the Seeds ActFootnote 2.
- This species meets the definition for Class 1Footnote 3 species under the Weed Seeds Order.
- All imported and domestic seed lots must be free of prohibited noxious weed seeds. Importation would require a certificate of analysis stating Senecio madagascariensis is absent from the seed lot.
- Regulate Senecio madagascariensis as a quarantine pest under the Plant Protection Act and add this species to the List of Pests Regulated by Canada (CFIA 2009) in order to:
- Prevent the importation, movement, and cultivation of this species in Canada.
- Enable inspectors to take appropriate action for the purposes of eradicating the pest or preventing its spread
- Regulatory actions under the Plant Protection Act could include one or more of the following:
- Requirement for a Phytosanitary Certificate with or without an Additional Declaration stating freedom from Senecio madagascariensis.
- Requirement for an import permit indicating specific import requirements and conditions for the pest status, handling and use of the commodity.
- Requirement for an import permit for the importation of devitalized seed, preserved specimens for scientific research purposes by recognized herbaria and research facilities and the importation of seed for research in containment facilities.
- Recognition of Pest Free Areas – if Senecio madagascariensis can be shown to be absent from the country/state/region from which the seed was harvested, then risk is negligible and additional phytosanitary requirements may be waived
- Recognition of foreign government phytosanitary noxious weed certification in countries or states of origin may allow for additional phytosanitary requirements to be waived.
Trade implications
- Exporting countries currently devote resources towards inspection of seed lots and issuance of Phytosanitary Certificates. Laboratories in exporting countries will need to be able to identify seeds of Senecio madagascariensis within a seed sample. Exporters will need to ensure freedom of Senecio madagascariensis in seed lots, otherwise CFIA can refuse import.
- There is potential for reduction and or loss of some import markets for Canadians if exporting countries are unable to meet proposed phytosanitary requirements. This loss will be very low as a small value of seed imports originate from countries where Senecio madagascariensis is present.
- Lack of Canadian regulation could compromise market access for Canadian commodities to those countries that regulate Senecio madagascariensis, should this species become established in Canada.
- Canadian regulation will sageguard trade with the U.S., Australia, Japan and possibly elsewhere where Senecio madagascariensis is regulated. Canada exported approximately $107 million worth of forage and grass seed to these 3 countries in 2008. Approximately $2.7 million worth of forage and grass seed was exported from British Colombia, where Senecio madagascariensis is most likely to establish.
Cost-effectiveness and Feasibility
- The CFIA Seed Program is already in place to prevent the entry of prohibited noxious weeds. The CFIA monitors compliance with the Canadian standards through the Marketplace Monitoring ProgramFootnote 4.
- The Seed Science and Technology Section at CFIA is currently acquiring a specimen of Senecio madagascariensis to determine the identifiabilty of its seeds.
Travellers and Their Effects
Previous imports
- A considerable number of people cross the Canadian border every year. Approximately 5.4 million Canadians traveled abroad in the 4th quarter of 2008 alone (Statistics Canada 2009b). There is a high frequency of travel between Canada and areas where Senecio madagascariensis is present (Hawaii, Australia, Japan, Colombia, Argentina and southern Africa).
- This pathway is considered the most likely pathway of introduction of Senecio madagascariensis into Canada (Castro 2009), but the level of risk is unknown. Travellers would need to spend enough time in areas (e.g. pastures, fields, roadsides) where the weed is growing for achenes to stick to shoes, clothing or other effects. Contaminated shoes, clothing or other effects would then have to be brought back across the Canadian border and achenes introduced into a suitable climate for establishment.
Risk mitigation measures
Increase public awareness of the regulation and the risk posed by Senecio madagascariensis and distribute awareness material at border crossings to the public. It is difficult to target travelers for one particular species that could be unintentionally imported. Thus, a general information and awareness campaign about the risks associated with several species may be the best option. While not considered effective by itself if the risk is high, increased public awareness is a viable action if the level of risk is low.
Trade implications
None anticipated.
Cost-effectiveness and Feasibility
- Resources will have to be allocated for promotional materials to be distributed at border crossings.
- Public awareness campaigns could be an effective way to lower the risk of introduction of Senecio madagascariensis into the country. This campaign could also be done in conjunction with other weed species to reduce costs and to inform the public on a more general level about invasive alien plants.
- Date modified: