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PLANT QUABAHTIHE CONFERENCE-- £IAY 15, 1922. 

 PURPOSE OF CONFERENCE 



In the first place, as the call indicated , this is a conference of the 

 interested public with this Department and not a formal hearing under the Plant 

 Quarantine Act. 



Constructive Suggestions Wanted . 



As has been frequently stated, this Department has no program of recommen- 

 dations, but has asked you to come together to discuss the advisability of any 

 modifications of the classes of plants permitted entry under permit for immediate 

 sale under Regulation 3 of Quarantine 37, either as to additions or deductions, 

 and hopes from this discussion to secure from the conference information that will 

 clearly justify the existing status or indicate necessary changes. 



To give some direction to the discussion, however, it seems desirable to 

 state the case. 



Basic Principle of Quarantine 57 . 



Fundamental to this conference and to Quarantine 37 and to the protection 

 of the country from .the entry of new pests, is an understanding and we hope ac- 

 ceptance of the general principle on which Quarantine 37 is based. This principle 

 has been variously stated, but it is fairly well expressed in the following workiig 

 which has been widely exploited and often criticized: 



The general principle underlying Quarantine 37 is 

 as rapidly as possible to make this country independent 

 of foreign supplies with the object of ultimately reach- 

 ing a condition where entry of foreign plants will be 

 limited to new plants and to such plants as are not 

 capable of production in the United States. 



YZherever this or similar statements have been used in pronouncements by 

 this Department, the context has plainly indicated that this policy had the single 

 object of reducing the risk of further entry of dangerous plant pests. 



