How Can I Apply?

The process to become Clean Plants certified is as follows:

1. Fill out and submit the Application Form.

2. Payment of the fee to participate in the program.  The fee structure is based on total annual sales and is as follows:

Fee Schedule (association members)

 
3. Download the Clean Plants Standard and Appendices and review them to understand the components of the program.

4. Participation in the Clean Plants Workshop is mandatory to being Clean Plants Certified.  Although there are no more live workshops available, a training video is available here.  

5. Using information provided in the workshop, your nursery is required to complete your nursery-specific Certification Manual using the Clean Plants Manual template (Appendix 4) and submit it to CNCI Administrators.

For P. ramorum Certified Nurseries in BC, there is an additional module that needs to be added to your manual.  This can be found in Appendix 10, P. ramorum Certification Module
For C. Buxicola Certified Nurseries, Appendix 11 needs to be added to your manual.

6. Your Clean Plants Manual will be reviewed for completeness and accuracy by CNCI Technical Review Staff.  At the completion of the review, a report will be sent to your nursery alerting you of any revisions required or confirming that your manual is acceptable as written.

7. Once your Manual has been approved, ensure that all procedures stated in your Clean Plants Manual are fully implemented and presently in use at your nursery, or fully prepared for use as the season unfolds.

8. When your nursery is ready, arrange for an Initial Facility Evaluation to be performed at your nursery by contacting one of the accredited Clean Plants auditors as listed. This will be the first “audit” visit for your nursery.  The purpose of this visit is to confirm that your facility has the infrastructure and staff in place to properly implement the Clean Plants Manual.  If you are on a pest specific module (ie. P. ramorum) you will need to inform your auditor that you wish to be audited on this module as well as the overall Clean Plants program.

If you wish to preview what will be asked of your nursery at the Initial Facility Evaluation, the checklist that the auditor will use is provided as Appendix 7b, Initial Facility Evaluation Checklist.

9. Once you have satisfactorily completed the Initial Facility Evaluation, and all invoices are paid, the CNCI will grant certification status to your nursery and forward a Compliance Agreement to be signed by your nursery, and issue you your unique Clean Plants Stamp.  Your nursery will then be posted on the national list of Clean Plants certified nurseries. 

10. An external systems audit will be required the following year to verify the integrity of your certification program and to ensure you are carrying out the procedures outlined in your Clean Plants Manual.  Satisfactory completion of one external audit will move you into the audit process.

11.  CNCI external audits are required once every three years and are scheduled by CNLA administrative staff on a random basis.  You will be notified by staff if your company has been selected for an audit in a particular year.  If your nursery participates in a pest-specific module, it must be included as a part of your external audit to retain certification status in that module. 

12.  Internal Audit reports must be submitted to the CNCI office twice annually to maintain your certified status.