HomeResourcesGuide to Prohibited, Domestic Regulated and Quarantine Soils

Guide to Prohibited, Domestic Regulated and Quarantine Soils

The Cornell Soil Health Lab has three categories of regulated soils:

  • Prohibited
  • Domestic Regulated
  • Quarantined

All samples being shipped to the Cornell Lab, regardless of the category, need to be double bagged prior to packaging and shipping. Packing material such as crumpled paper or bubble wrap must be placed in the box with the samples to minimize sample movement and spillage during shipping.

Note: Advance authorization from the Cornell Soil Health Lab is required before shipping Quarantined soils. Submission forms for soil analyses requested are required to be included in the shipping box with the soil samples. Quarantined soils received without prior authorization, submission forms and/or proper paperwork will be destroyed upon receipt. Please see definition of Quarantined soil below.

Prohibited Areas

Areas from where soil should neither be packaged nor shipped. Soil received from these counties will be treated as quarantined and destroyed without processing.

Idaho: Bingham, Bonneville

California: Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, Santa Clara, Ventura

Canada: Alberta (A farm unit and associated land located near the municipality of Fort Saskatchewan; and a farm unit and associated land located near the municipality of Spruce Grove.),

British Colombia (Central Saanich on Vancouver Island),

Newfoundland and Labrador: (The entire Island of Newfoundland),

Quebec: (The municipality of Saint- Amble).

Regulated States and Counties

Areas from where soil will be handled within the Cornell Soil Health Laboratory according to Quarantine Standard Operating Procedures.

Note: We accept soils from regulated areas throughout the United States. As with all samples, please be sure to double bag and use packing material to minimize sample movement during shipping.

Entire State Regulated:

  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Florida
  • Louisiana
  • Mississippi
  • North Carolina
  • Oklahoma
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Virginia

States with regulated soils in some counties:

  • New Mexico: Dona Ana
  • Oregon: Curry
  • New York: Bronx, Cayuga, Erie, Livingston, Monroe, Nassau, Niagara, New York, Ontario, Orleans, Kings, Queens, Richmond, Seneca, Steuben, Suffolk, Wayne

Quarantined Soils:

Quarantined soils are from any area outside the contiguous United States. Special shipping and lab procedures are required for quarantined soils. You must contact the Cornell Soil Health Lab prior to shipping quarantined soils: rrs3@cornell.edu. Quarantined samples are subject to an additional 15% surcharge.

Additional Resources:

The Cornell Soil Health Laboratory reserves the right to have higher levels of restrictions on the transport and analysis of soil than that of USDA-APHIS (including on New York City soil)