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Nursery Program

The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) regulates all live plants grown or sold in the State of Georgia.  

 

Highlights

  • About this program

    Any person engaged in business as a Live Plant Dealer (such as dealers, re-wholesalers, agents, brokers, landscapers, florist, or vegetable plant dealers) or Live Plant Grower (such as field grown nurseries, container nurseries, greenhouse nurseries, collected native plants, or sod and/or sprig growers) must obtain a Live Plant License. For Live Plant Growers, a Live Plant License is required if any one of the following criteria are met:

    1. Your production space is greater than 1,000 square feet
    2. You are shipping plants out of state or internationally
    3. You are bringing plants in from out of state for re-sale
    4. You are collecting wild plants to sale

    If none of the criteria are met, the Live Plant Grower may be exempt from the Live Plant License if they desire.

    See a full list of Live Plant License Categories and Fees.

    Any individual who obtains a Live Plant License is subject to random inspections by Georgia Department of Agriculture Inspectors. Inspections are designed to identify plants that are grown or maintained in poor health or have insect, disease, or weed issues. A significant component of each inspection is dedicated to exotic pest detection. Additionally, there are invasive pests established in other states, so Inspectors look for "unusual" disease symptoms or insects that may indicate an invasive pest infestation. Samples may be submitted to UGA or to USDA for identification.

  • Citrus

    The Citrus Regulations and Quarantine were adopted with the support of the Georgia Citrus Growers Association and are intended to minimize the spread of serious graft-transmissible diseases as well as certain other pathogens and nematodes of citrus.

    The Citrus Regulations and Quarantine also prohibits the import of citrus plants or budwood into Georgia unless they were produced in a Certified Citrus Budwood Program.

  • Organic Agriculture

    Organic growers and processors are no longer required to register with the Department.

    For information about organic certification, please visit https://www.ams.usda.gov/about-ams/programs-offices/national-organic-program to contact certifying agents.

    For information about the Organic Cost Share Reimbursement Program, please visit https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/occsp/index.

License Types

Licenses

Licenses

Laws & Regulations

Laws and Regulations

Laws and Regulations

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