Blueberry maggot is a “regulated pest” which means there are restrictions in place to prevent its spread across the country. Most of the highbush blueberry production region in Ontario falls into an area where blueberry maggot is considered to be present. If you want to ship blueberries out of this area to a non-infested area, such as Muskoka region or northern Ontario, you will need to be part of the blueberry maggot certification program, and complete your paperwork well ahead of harvest. The paperwork for this takes 2-3 weeks and should be completed ASAP.
The blueberry maggot certification program falls under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) jurisdiction. To be part of this program contact the CFIA in your region- there is a list of local CFIA offices in publication #360, page 348. In southcentral Ontario the contact person is Julie Holmes, (905) 570-7355 Julie.Holmes@inspection.gc.ca.
This link takes you to information on the certification program and the application you need to fill out and return to the CFIA is in Appendix 5. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/plants/plant-pests-invasive-species/directives/horticulture/d-02-04/eng/1320046578973/1320046655958
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