Quarantine Spotlights

An Asian Longhorned Beetle quarantine is necessary in South Carolina to aid eradication efforts, prevent additional pest spread, and save the many more yet to be affected trees in the state. These new regulations will define the quarantine area and process for containing and eradicating the Asian Longhorned Beetle. Specifications for how some regulated articles may still move are also provided, as well as guidance for inspection and disposal.

A Notice of Drafting regarding the subject matter of the proposed regulation was published in the State Register on September 25, 2020 and on September 26, 2025.

Print new Regulation 27-58 et al. as shown below.

A. “Asian Longhorned Beetle” (ALB) means the insect known as Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) in any living stage of development.

B. “Certificate” means a document or permit, electronic or otherwise, issued or authorized to be issued by the Department or USDA-APHIS inspector to allow the movement of regulated articles to any destination.

C. “Compliance agreement” means a written agreement between an individual or concern engaged in growing, dealing in, or moving regulated articles and a state or USDA-APHIS, wherein the former agrees to comply with conditions specified in the agreement to prevent the dissemination of Asian Longhorned Beetle.

D. “Department” means the Clemson University Department of Plant Industry, or its representatives, acting on behalf of the South Carolina Crop Pest Commission or the Director and acting as the plant regulatory representative of South Carolina.

E. “Director” means the Director of Regulatory and Public Service Programs at Clemson University.

F. “Firewood” means any wooden material less than four feet in length that is gathered and used for fuel when species present are not labeled and/or readily identifiable.

G. “Inspector” means any authorized employee or agent of the State Crop Pest Commission, state, or USDA-APHIS, or any other person authorized by the Director to enforce the provisions of these regulations.

H. “Moved” means shipped, offered for shipment, received for transportation, transported, carried, or allowed to be moved, shipped, transported, or carried.

I. “Movement documents” means any certificates and/or compliance agreements applicable to these regulations issued by the Department, state, or USDA-APHIS representatives.

J. “Nursery stock” means all fruit, nut and shade trees, all ornamental plants and trees, bush fruits, buds, grafts, scions, vines, roots, bulbs, seedlings, slips or other portions of plants (excluding true seeds) grown or kept for propagation, sale or distribution. Also includes any other plant included by the Director, if regulating its movement is necessary to control any plant pest.

K. “Person” means any association, company, corporation, firm, individual, joint stock company, partnership, society, or any other legal entity.

L. “Quarantined area” means the designated area set by the South Carolina Crop Pest Commission to isolate all known occurrences of the Asian longhorned beetle in one geographical area.

M. “Regulated Articles” means those articles that require a movement document(s) year-round except as indicated.

N. “USDA-APHIS” means the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

A. The Asian longhorned beetle in any life stage.

B. Firewood (all hardwood species), and green lumber and other material living, dead, cut, or fallen, inclusive of nursery stock, logs, stumps, roots, branches, and debris of half an inch or more in diameter of the following genera: Acer (maple), Aesculus (horse chestnut), Albizia (mimosa), Betula (birch), Cercidiphyllum (katsura), Fraxinus (ash), Koelreuteria (golden rain tree), Platanus (sycamore), Populus (poplar), Salix (willow), Sorbus (mountain ash), Ulmus (elm), and any other genus of plant confirmed by the Department and/or USDA-APHIS to be a host of ALB.

C. Any other article, product, or means of conveyance not listed in paragraph (2) of this section may be designated as a regulated article if an inspector determines that it presents a risk of spreading ALB and notifies the person in possession of the article, product, or means of conveyance that it is subject to the restrictions of the regulations.

A. Regulated articles may not at any time be moved from quarantined parts of South Carolina or any other state into or through non-quarantined parts of South Carolina or any other state without a state- or federally-issued certificate and/or compliance agreement allowing for such movement provided that no other state or federal provisions prevent it.

B. Regulated articles may be moved from quarantined parts of South Carolina or any other state into or through quarantined parts of South Carolina or any other state without state- or federally-issued certificates and/or compliance agreements provided that no other state or federal provisions prevent it.

C. Regulated articles may be moved for experimental or scientific purposes in accordance with specified conditions provided a scientific permit is securely attached to the container of such articles or to the article itself. Scientific permits may be supplied by the Department or USDA-APHIS.

A. Certificates - An inspector from the Department or USDA-APHIS, or their representatives, will issue certificates for movement of regulated articles when it has been deemed that ALB is not apparently present and risk of movement of ALB from a quarantined area to a non-quarantined area has been mitigated. In all cases, certificates and permits shall be furnished by the carrier to the consignee at the destination of the shipment.

B. Compliance Agreements - The Department or USDA-APHIS may enter into compliance agreements with persons growing, handling, or moving regulated articles once an inspector has reviewed all provisions of the compliance agreement and each agrees to comply with the provisions of this subpart and any conditions imposed under this subpart. As a condition of issuance of certificates for the movement of regulated articles, any person engaged in purchasing, assembling, exchanging, handling, or moving such articles may be required to sign a compliance agreement stipulating that he will maintain such safeguards against the establishment and spread of infection and comply with such conditions as to the maintenance of identity, handling, and subsequent movement of such articles.

C. Attachment —Movement documents must be attached to or accompany shipments of all regulated articles or containers carrying regulated articles and such articles must be clearly marked with the name and address of the consignor and consignee.

D. Cancellation — Certificates and/or Compliance Agreements may be canceled orally or in writing by an inspector or representative of the Department or USDA-APHIS whenever the inspector determines that the holder of the certificate or compliance agreement has not complied with this subpart or any conditions imposed under this subpart.

Any properly identified inspector is authorized to stop and inspect, without a warrant, any person or means of conveyance moving within or from the State of South Carolina upon probable cause to believe that non-permitted or non-certified regulated articles are present; and, such inspector is authorized to seize, destroy or otherwise dispose of articles found to be moving in violation of these regulations.

When satisfactory evidence has been presented that ALB has been eradicated from an area affected by this quarantine, the Department may remove regulated areas from the quarantine.

The South Carolina State Crop Pest Commission disclaims liability for any cost incident to inspection or treatment required under the provisions of this quarantine, other than for the services of the South Carolina State Crop Pest Commission.

The areas declared to be regulated areas where the pest is known to exist at a level or within proximity of a level which poses a risk of spreading the pest to non-infested areas of South Carolina and other states shall be maintained on a list that is made publicly available on Clemson’s website located at the Invasive Species page.

None.

Quarantining ALB-infested areas in South Carolina will protect uninfested areas and trees from the negative impacts associated with the beetle, which include expedited tree death, potentially reduced national and international trade from South Carolina and with and from other U.S. states, increased human health risks due to falling trees and branches, and increased tree debris management expenses. The quarantine will also stabilize accompanying eradication efforts so that in the long term, the quarantined areas can respawn with these native trees.

• Regulated Areas in South Carolina
• North Carolina Department of Agriculture: SPW Quarantine
• Florida Department of Agriculture: SPW Fact Sheet