A Plant Passport is is an official label for the movement of regulated plants and plant products within the UK. It assures compliance with all plant health requirements for the relevant plant or plant product, for example that it is free from particular pests and diseases.
Who needs a Plant Passport?
Broadly speaking anyone who sells plants. The only exception is for people selling retail face-to-face with the public. Under the new UK regulations, which came into force on 14 December 2019 all mail order and Internet sellers must issue Plant Passports.
What does a Plant Passport look like?
By law a Plant Passport must contain the following information:
• the words “UK Plant Passport”
• the plant species
• the seller’s code
• a unique number identifying the passport
• the country of origin
An example of one of our Plant Passports is given below.
Are Plant Passports just more bureaucracy?
No, if anything this is a long overdue change! Plants have been able to move far too freely between the UK and EU member states. Many well-known plant pests and diseases may have been avoided if better plant health controls were in place.
Ash die back, flat worms, Harlequin Ladybird, Horse Chestnut Bleeding Canker, Oak Processionary Moth, Asian Hornet and Rosemary Beetle are a few of the many examples of pests and diseases introduced to the UK.
One of the most dangerous pathogens, Xylella fastidiosa, is currently absent from the UK and extra measures are in place to help prevent it entering the UK.