Foley’s Cooper Farm Earns USDA Certification

Foley’s Cooper Farm is now a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-certified citrus nursery, Gulf Coast Media reports. Obtaining the USDA and Alabama Department of Agriculture certification means the farm will be able to ship citrus trees to 43 states and sell citrus trees to retailers. Alabama was designated as a commercial citrus-producing area in December 2023. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service revised the Code of Federal Regulations to provide Alabama with federal protections from citrus pests and diseases like citrus canker. The regulation change means big-box stores and commercial nurseries will be required to buy citrus trees from a USDA-certified facility. The certification is also beneficial for local residents, as they are more likely to purchase a disease-free plant. Now, the farm says it needs to grow its certified stock, which it will begin immediately. Additionally, the farm will start on a much larger greenhouse that will provide space for 51,000 trees. Cooper Farm is a family-owned and -operated garden center.