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Cost Share for Little Cherry and X-disease Tree Removal

Cost Share Funds Available to Cherry and Stone Fruit Producers through Grant for X-disease and Little Cherry Disease Tree Removal

Washington State University Extension in partnership with county Conservation Districts and Pest Boards announce availability of cost share funds for the removal and testing of trees infected with X-disease and Little cherry disease to slow the spread of these devastating pathogens. Funding is available through a grant from the Washington State Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grants. Funding is available beginning October 1, 2021, pending USDA approval.

Eligible cherry, peach, nectarine, plum and other stone fruit orchards must have suffered a tree loss due to confirmed X-disease phytoplasma or Little cherry virus. The affected orchard must be within 10 miles of other orchards owned by another legal entity. Greater than 20 trees must have been removed with costs incurred after 9/30/2021. Reimbursement levels are up to 50% cost share for up to ten acres (up to $7,500 per applicant). A total of $225,000 will be disbursed over three years.

X-disease and Little Cherry Disease cause small, pale, bland, unmarketable fruit in cherries. In peaches, plums, and nectarines X-disease symptoms are typically yellowed curled leaves and shot hole as well as small-deformed fruit. These are long-term, debilitating diseases for infected trees. Infected trees must be removed to stop the spread of the pathogen. They cannot be cured. The economic impacts of tree removal are long lasting to growers during the seven-year re-establishment period costing growers an average of $118,095 in establishment and lost revenue per acre. The goal of this program is to provide cost share stipends for the removal and testing of trees infected with X-disease and Little cherry disease to slow the spread of these devastating pathogens.

For more information see Tree Removal Cost Share Application (df)  or application word format Applications will be processed through your county contact:

  • Will Carpenter, Chelan-Douglas-Okanogan County Pest Board, Will.Carpenter@CO.CHELAN.WA.US (509) 393-0975
  • Pam Loa, Franklin County Pest Board, ploa@co.franklin.wa.us (509) 545-35-80, (509) 430-1535
  • Mark Neilson, Benton County Conservation District, mark-nielson@conservewa.net (509) 366-1678
  • Keith Mathews, Yakima County Pest Board, keith.mathews@co.yakima.wa.us (509) 571-5210
  • Elliot DeLong, Grant County Conservation District, elliott-delong@conservewa.net (509) 765-9618

For additional questions contact: Tianna DuPont, WSU Extension (509) 713-5346 tianna.dupont@wsu.edu

FSA Tree Assistance Program Offers Support for Little Cherry Tree Removal

 

The Tree Assistance Program (TAP) provides financial assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines lost by natural disasters. The Washington State committee has designated losses to X-disease phytoplasma and Little Cherry Virus (as well as fire blight) as eligible natural disasters in Washington state. New August 2020 the Washington State Committee determined that when infection reaches or exceeds 20% of a stand/block AND the grower has made the decision to remove the whole block all remaining trees in the stand become no longer commercially viable and may be considered for tree loss assistance.

Eligibility

To be eligible for assistance orchardists would need:

  • Testing results showing presence of X-disease phytoplasma or Little cherry virus.
  • Suffer at least a 18% tree loss (15% adjusted for 3% normal mortality as designated by the state committee). An FSA loss adjuster must visit to designate % loss before trees are removed. Orchardists can herbicide treat or stump but not remove affected trees before application approval.
  • Replace eligible trees within 12 months of approval. The orchardist can apply for an extension of one additional year if trees are not available which would have to be approved by the State FSA committee.

Eligibility for blocks where whole block removal is needed:

  • When an infection presence reaches 20% or greater removal of the entire block associated with the infection is recommended.
  • NEW Aug 2020: The State Committee recognizes that once a producer is faced with the decision for eradication, all remaining trees in the stand become no longer commercially viable and therefore may be included in the lost trees for assistance in the stand. When infection reaches or exceeds 20% AND the grower has made the decision to remove the whole block the entire block would be eligible.
  • Producer’s shall be required to provide results of testing which confirms the presence of Little cherry virus or X-disease phytoplasma.
  • Producers shall provide a letter from a third party horticulturalist who has knowledge of the site and provides a recommendation for total stand removal to control the spread of the pathogens before applying this STC policy.
  • An FSA loss adjuster must visit to designate % loss before trees are removed. Orchardists may herbicide treat or stump but not remove affected trees before the visit.
  • Replace eligible trees within 12 months of removal. The orchardist can apply for an extension if trees are not available which would have to be approved by the State FSA committee.

The process

  1. Test trees in your block to establish presence of X-disease or Little cherry virus.
  2. Obtain letter from horticulturalist stating the degree of the problem and whether entire block removal is recommended.
  3. Start your application process with the above information to trigger a site assessment!
  4. Trees may be herbicide treated/ trees stumped.
  5. After receipt of applications FSA offices will conduct: 1) assessment of number of eligible trees; 2) environmental assessment; 3) cultural assessment.

Removal of trees prior to FSA approval will make the application ineligible for program benefits.

Payments

Growers are eligible for 65 percent of the actual cost of replanting, in excess of 15 percent mortality (adjusted for normal mortality), and, where applicable, 50 percent of the actual cost of rehabilitation, in excess of 15 percent damage or mortality (adjusted for normal tree damage and mortality).  After the applicant qualifies for payment by meeting the mortality threshold, payments will be calculated as the lesser of, their actual cost receipts, or the total determined eligible trees lost times the established practice payment rate.

Additional Information

See the FSA factsheet for details: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/tree_assistance_program-tap-fact_sheet.pdf

Contacts

Contact your local FSA office for more information:

Chelan County: Anita Perez, PT                               (509) 662-1141 ext 3690

Yakima County:  Maria De La Mora, PT                  (509) 367-8585

Benton County:  Victoria Marsh, CED                     (509) 786-2313

Franklin County:  Bruce Clatterbuck, CED              (509) 416-5722

Okanogan County:  Celest Acord, CED                   (509) 422-2750

Douglas County:  Sherry Ramin, PT                         (509) 745-8561

Grant County:  Gus Jensvold, CED                            (509) 754-2463