Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/860755
100 percent mortality of quarantine pests at an extremely high level of reliability. Before implementation of ISPM-15, several high-profile invasive pests garnered our national attention, and led to the international consensus for ISPM-15, for example: • Asian Longhorned Beetle was first discovered in the USA in 1996. • Emerald Ash Borer was found in the USA and Canada in the 1990s. Since the wide-scale adoption of ISPM-15 in the United States, there have been no new large-scale establishments of invasive wood-boring insects. Global Partnerships Working to Protect Forests There are more than 100 countries around the world that have adopted the ISPM-15 regulation for wood packaging, and the list continues to grow. Countries that adopt the ISPM-15 standard agree that all imports and exports must be treated according to the standard and certifiably marked in the proper manner. Certification is conducted by accredited third-party inspection agencies. If a facility is approved, the agency then issues a stamp to be applied on the wood packaging material showing it is compliant with the ISPM-15 standard. One inspection agency, TPI, commented: "The IPPC program for ISPM-15 conformance is vital to protecting forests internationally. When properly implemented through facility training and application along with quality monitoring, ISPM-15 is an extremely effective tool for alleviating the risk of infestation by invasive foreign pests," stated Matt McGowan, WPM manager for Timber Products Inspection (TPI). Thus, the stamp acts as a passport for the wood packaging to officially enter through customs. It is considered sufficient proof that it meets the ISPM-15 standard. Because of the effectiveness of the treatment, a certified stamp affixed to SWPM ensures a high level of confidence for wooden packaging to be pest free of wood boring insects. The wood packaging industry across North America also works closely with the national governments' plant health organizations of the United States, Mexico, and Canada, including the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO). Through these associations, the wood packaging industry is an active partner with the regulatory agencies and scientists involved in managing phytosanitary pest risk and the development of national standards related to the implementation of ISPM-15. The NWPCA met in late June with Deputy Administrator Osama El-Lissy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Protection and Quarantine (USDA-PPQ). El-Lissy noted, "USDA needs to work closely with NWPCA on ISPM-15 to ensure that the high integrity of the program continues." NWCPA will be a key part of a technical palletcentral.com PalletCentral • July-August 2017 17 "The IPPC program for ISPM-15 conformance is vital to protecting forests internationally. When properly implemented through facility training and application, along with quality monitoring, ISPM-15 is an extremely effective tool for alleviating the risk of infestation by invasive foreign pests." – Matt McGowan, Timber Products Inspection, Inc.