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<div dir="ltr"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><u><font face="Arial" size="2">Help strengthen USDA screening of plant imports</font></u></span></div>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><font face="arial" size="2">California Invasive Plant Council</font></span></div>
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<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><font face="Arial" size="2"></font></span> </p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><font face="Arial" size="2">“While many countries have adopted protocols that protect their environment without unduly limiting free trade, the US system remains weak (see the
</font><a title="http://nationalplantboard.org/docs/PR%20Report%207-17-06.pdf" href="http://nationalplantboard.org/docs/PR%20Report%207-17-06.pdf" target="_blank"><font title="http://nationalplantboard.org/docs/PR%20Report%207-17-06.pdf" face="Arial" color="#0000cc" size="2"><span title="http://nationalplantboard.org/docs/PR%20Report%207-17-06.pdf" style="COLOR: #0000cc; TEXT-DECORATION: none">National
Plant Board's 2006 assessment</span></font></a><font face="Arial" size="2">.) The USDA, which bears responsibility for screening plant imports, has released new "Q-37" guidelines for review, with
<strong>comments due Oct. 21, 2009</strong>. Some will resist this proposal, so it is critical that natural resource managers voice their perspectives. Below are important actions you can take to encourage immediate action.”
</font></span><font face="Arial" size="2">See </font><a title="http://www.cal-ipc.org/policy/federal/Q37.php" href="http://www.cal-ipc.org/policy/federal/Q37.php" target="_blank"><font face="Arial" color="#800080" size="2">http://www.cal-ipc.org/policy/federal/Q37.php</font></a><font face="Arial" size="2">
for more information.</font></p>
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<div class="PlainText"><font size="2">Andrea T. Kramer, Ph.D.<br>
Executive Director, U.S. Office<br>
Botanic Gardens Conservation International<br>
at Chicago Botanic Garden<br>
1000 Lake Cook Road<br>
Glencoe, IL 60022 USA<br>
<br>
Tel: 1-847-835-6971<br>
Fax: 1-847-835-5484<br>
E-mail: andrea.kramer@bgci.org<br>
Internet: www.bgci.org/usa</font></div>
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