The mandatory Plum Pox Eradication Program is designed to help eradicate the plum pox virus in Ontario by 2011.
Each summer, Agricorp and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) collect approximately 800,000 leaf samples from tender fruit orchards in the survey area – the northern Niagara Peninsula from Grimsby to the Niagara River. The samples are sent to the lab to be tested for the plum pox virus. If the virus is detected in any of your samples, the CFIA will send you a Notice to Dispose.
If you complete all steps in the process, you will receive compensation to help cover the loss of income when your plum-pox affected trees are removed. You receive a fixed rate per tree, determined by crop, species, program year and age of tree.
There are four steps to the program.
Step 1: CFIA issues Notice to Dispose
If the virus is detected in any of your samples, the CFIA issues a Notice to Dispose. Agricorp also receives a copy.
Step 2: Agricorp starts application process
After the CFIA issues the Notice to Dispose, an Agricorp assessor will contact you to establish the age and variety of your affected trees. Do not pull trees before the assessor has had a chance to inspect or we may not be able to make a payment to you.
The assessor will fill out associated paperwork with you and the Agricorp plum pox manager and the CFIA supervisor will both sign it.
Note: If you rent or lease your orchard and/or vineyard land, you must indicate this on the application form. Both you and the landlord must sign it. The payment will be sent to the applicant.
Step 3: Grower removes trees
When you receive a Notice to Dispose you have three days to cut the affected trees to stump. You must then perform stump removal by the date shown on your Notice to Dispose. Your deadline will be no later than December 31.
Step 4: Grower submits forms, proof of income
You have up to two years from the date of the Notice to Dispose to sign all completed application forms and submit them to Agricorp. You must also submit proof of your farming income.
After the CFIA has verified that the trees have been removed, both the Agricorp plum pox manager and the CFIA supervisor will sign the completed paperwork. Agricorp then processes the payment.
Step 5: Agricorp issues a cheque
Agricorp will issue a cheque to you after all forms have been completed and approved and we have verified proof of farming income.
