Information Regarding an Increase in N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services-Plant Industry Division

Information Regarding an Increase in N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services-Plant Industry Division

Nursery Certification Fees

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS)-Plant Industry Division is the lead state agency for the registration and certification of nurseries.  This regulatory program ensures that nursery stock produced in this state meets both state and federal quarantine requirements for intrastate and interstate shipment.  As defined, nurseries are those locations where nursery stock is grown for distribution or sale.  Nursery stock includes all wild or cultivated plants, including trees, shrubs, vines, bulbous plants and roots.  Excluded from this definition are annual plants, cut flowers, and tree, field, vegetable, flower and other true seed.

The fees associated with the Nursery Certification Rules have not been changed in over 20 years.  After review and consideration, the NCDA&CS-Plant Industry Division has implemented a fee increase effective October 1, 2009, in part to meet a budget deficient and to ensure North Carolina’s fees are in step with other states.  The proposed fee increases will require final approval by the N.C. Board of Agriculture.

The following increases were implemented October 1, 2009:

Nursery Type                                                            Current Fee                 New Fee

1. Certified Nursery (Any nursery that is

       one acre in size or more or that produces

and distributes/sells nursery stock outside

the state).

            First acre or fraction                             $10.00                    $100.00

            Each additional acre                              $2/acre                  $ 3/acre

1. Registered Nursery (Any nursery that is

less than one acre in size that produces, but

does not distribute or sell nursery stock

outside the state).                                                 $6.00                       $20.00

The fee for a collected plant certificate issued by NCDA&CS is also proposed to increase from $1.00 to $20.00.  Those individuals who dig or gather collected plants shall be required to possess a collected plant certificate.

There is no proposed fee increase for Nursery Dealers.  Nursery Dealers include those individuals or businesses who maintain no regular nursery, but handle nursery stock grown in regularly certified or registered nurseries.  The Nursery Dealer fee was updated in 2004 and will remain at $50.00.

Should you need additional information regarding these proposed changes, please contact Dr. Stephen Schmidt, Plant Pest Administrator, NCDA&CS-Plant Industry Division at Stephen.Schmidt@ncagr.gov or 919-733-6932.