Bye-Bye More Hawaiian Nurseries

[Ray]

Picked this up on another forum...

Not all of us are "big" on Oncidiinae - some are - but I am concerned that this Proposed Rule published in Wednesday's Federal Register to allow the importation of potted oncids from Taiwan will accelerate the demise of the domestic orchid nursery, just as the importation of potted phalaenopsis has contributed. First phals, now oncids; who's next?

I see this as yet another case where the US government is catering to the financial interests of international corporations and chain-retailers making huge margins on each plant, rather than working for the protection of US interests, as they are charged.

You may enter comments on the propose rule change here:
Regulations.gov

[Joseia]

Thanks for the alert Ray. I am wondering - why oncidiums?

I read the proposed change and had a good laugh when they stated that oncidiums are not too popular because of their unusual flowers. So it is ok to flood the market with these because everyone knows oncidiums have ugly flowers? LOL, that's crazy. Is there such a thing as an ugly flower? Some are definitely weird, but I haven't seen an ugly one yet.

[orchidsarefun]

Bare-root plants are already allowed importation and this would extend the licence to ( presumably ) plants potted in sphagnum moss. Mature plants are not specifically referred to as far as I can see - see below - but if they are not excluded then there is the possibility of "dumping" in the future. Interesting that the request is from the Taiwan government and not any USA grower.

"Eliminating the requirement that Oncidium spp. from Taiwan must be bare-rooted is expected to increase the number and quality of these plants imported by U.S. growers, who then finish the plants for the retail market. It is also expected to reduce the production time for growers. However, gains due to improved product quality and reduced production time are likely to lead to compensating price adjustments, assuming a competitive market."

On the one hand we get more and better quality ( maybe ? ) plants at a better price and on the other a probable detrimental impact on orchid nurseries that are already few and far between.
We can't pick and choose which "free market " we want I suppose.....

[Orchid Whisperer]

There is a potentially more serious threat in bringing Oncidiums in medium into the USA from foreign sources, unless extended quarantines are followed. There are many more "nooks & crannies" on an Oncidium, therefore more places for pests to hide.

Personnel to inspect international shipments (USDA and other agencies) are notoriously under-staffed; who is going to actually "inspect" these imports?

Bad idea.

Not to mention driving domestic growers further into financial hardship so that big-box stores and groceries can buy throw-away orchids a little cheaper.

I plant to post a comment. Ray, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

[Leafmite]

I agree with the pests and diseases. Do we never learn? Ash borer, Japanese beetles (iris), American Elm disease, American Chestnut blight, Citrus Greening...it just is amazing to me that our country keeps doing this!

[Ray]

I think the assertion that the plants will be imported by growers who will finish them off is off the mark, unless "finish them off" simply means "distribute them to the stores".

The requirement that imported plants be "free of planting medium" is because that's where some of the more damaging insect creatures can reside. The rule change affects that part only. Despite the extra nooks and crannies, oncidiums are currently imported plenty, just bare root.

[Subrosa]

I don't have a problem with this in regards to its effect on existing growers. Economic protectionism by definition benefits a few at the expense of the rest. But the potential for introducing pests and pathogens is exactly the sort thing the USDA is supposed to protect against. Of course these are the folks who require phytosanitary certification to import sterile culture flasks, so we probably shouldn't expect too much of them.

[PaphMadMan]

Another step toward all NoIDs, all the time. In 10 years almost no one will even realize that once upon a time orchids had names that meant something.

[Leafmite]

It is already difficult to find some of those orchids not favored by the mass-produce market. I have noticed that all of a sudden EVERYONE has a certain orchid and, then, a year or two later, no one has it. I suspect that these are coming from overseas, for the most part. I think I can tell the vendors that grow their own because they are offering something different from everyone else and they have a limited number...and they first have the small seedlings, then a year or so later, the larger seedlings and then a few more years later, the blooming size.

[Brooke]

You can bring Oncidiums into the US from Central and South America that are bare root. What is the difference between bare root Taiwan and bare root Guatemala?

Brooke