1259) International Year of Plant Health, Switzerland: A Postage Stamp of CHF 0.85 issued by Swiss Post depicting a Japanese Beetle eating a healthy plant leaf: Date of Stamp issue: 05.03.2020:

1259) International Year of Plant Health, Switzerland: A Postage Stamp of CHF 0.85 issued by Swiss Post depicting a Japanese Beetle eating a healthy plant leaf: Date of Stamp issue: 05.03.2020:

The United Nations designates specific days, weeks or decades as occasions to mark certain events or themes, in order to promote the Organisation's goals and objectives through action and awareness raising.

In 2020, plant health takes the centre stage:

Certain plants are in danger - global trade and travel mean that new plant diseases and pests are reaching other countries more frequently. As a consequence of climate change, the risk of freshly introduced pests potentially becoming permanent residents in other countries and then spreading is increasing, which can have a major adverse impact. To raise awareness of this ever-growing threat and spur people/organisations into action, the United Nations has designated 2020 as the "International Year of Plant Health."

This goal is represented by a Japanese beetle in the stamp design of CHF 0.85: 

This bug was introduced into Italy a few years ago, and is now found in Switzerland as well, in Southern Ticino. 

Over 300 species of wild plants and crops are food for the Japanese beetle, including fruit trees and the vine depicted on the stamp. 

The Japanese beetle is easily spotted, due to the white tufts of hair on its side, which distinguishes it from the Garden Chafer and the Cockchafer.

The First Day Cover (FDC) shows at left the logo of the "International Year of Plant Health", with two hands gentling nurturing a plant leaf, with the year 2020" inscribed on the logo.

At top right is affixed the Swiss Post postage stamp of CHF 0.85 value. The special cancellation Handstamp/postmark bears an image of a leaf in the left half and the beetle that thrives on it, in the right half. The Cancellation is dated "05.03.2020". 

The Handstamp Cancellation is repeated towards the top centre of the FDC.

The First Day Cover (FDC) affixed at right with a Block (set of four Stamps), cancelled with the special Handstamp, which is repeated towards the centre of the FDC.

            The First Day Envelope (FDE).

An individual stamp of CHF 0.85 depicting the Japanese beetle eating a leaf of a healthy plant.

An individual stamp of CHF 0.85, Cancelled to Order (CTO)

A Block of stamps (set of four stamps).

A Block, Cancelled To Order (CTO).

A Full Sheet (FS) of 20 stamps shown partially.

A Full Sheet (FS) of 20 stamps, Cancelled To Order (CTO)

The Folder and Collection Sheet placed together.

The Folder and the Collection Sheet "Cancelled to Order" (CTO).

The Technical details of this stamp issue are:

Issue Date: 05.03.2020

Designer: Angelo Boog, Dietlikon

Printer: Cartor Security Printing, La Loupe, France

Process: Offset

Colours: 4 Colours

Stamp Size: 33.0 mm x 28.0 mm

Full Sheet size: 194.0 mm x 140.0 mm

Some other interesting posts on Coins and Banknotes from Switzerland on this Blog:

1) Alpine Edelweiss: "Flora Alpina" Series: The first coin in the Series issued in January 2016

2) Alpine Gentian: "Flora Alpine" Series: The Second Coin in the Series issued in January 2017 

3) Alpine Carline Thistle: "Flora Alpine" Series: The Third and Final coin in the Series issued in January 2018 

4) A 10 Franc Banknote honouring Charles Edourd Jaenneret popularly known as Le Corbusier who designed the Modern Indian city of Chandigarh 

5) 10 Franc Banknote issued by the Swiss National Bank wins the prestigious IBNS Award 2017

6) St. Bernard "Barry" (1800-1812): A commemorative 50 Francs Gold Coin issued by the Swiss Federal Mint on 14.09.2017

7) The Legend of William Tell depicted on a Gold 50 Francs Swiss Coin issued on 26.04.2018

8) "La Suisse": Swiss Steamships Coin Series: A 20 Francs Silver Coin issued on 26.04.2018:

9) Swiss Army Knife - 100th Anniversary of Karl Elsener's passing away (inventor of the original Swiss Army knife): A Silver 20 Franc Coin from the Swiss Federal Mint, commemorates the globally popular Swiss Army Knife: Coin issue date: 10.09.2018

10) 200 Franc Banknote: issued by the Swiss National Bank, Switzerland on 22.08.2018: Fourth of the six Banknotes in the Ninth Banknote Series being released by the Bank in a phased manner

11) 50 Franc Banknote issued by the Swiss National Bank, Switzerland, winner of the prestigious 2016 "International Banknote Society Award (IBNS)

12) Federal Shooting Festival, Switzerland celebrated with the release of Silver 50 Franc and Gold 500 Franc "Talers" or Medals that are valid during the duration of the Festival (issue year - 2019)

13) 100 years of the Swiss National Circus - "Knie" celebrated with the issue os 20 Swiss francs coin from the Swiss Mint stable (2019): Issue date: 24.01.2019

14) The Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT): A Silver 20 Swiss Francs Coin issued by the Swiss Mint at their facility in Bern in 2016, commemorating the opening of the largest railway and deepest traffic tunnel in the world

15) "Crocodile" Locomotives, Switzerland: Centenary Celebration: Swiss Mint issues a 50 Francs Commemorative Gold Coin: Coin release date: 09.05.2019

16) "The Art of Brewing Beer" Stamp, Swiss Post: A set of two Stamps depicting two varieties of Beer, popular in Switzerland, issued by Swiss Post: Date of issue: 05.09.2019

17) Roger Federer, Switzerland: A 20 Francs Silver Coin issued by the Federal Swiss Mint commemorating the achievements of the legendary Tennis Player: Coin issue date: 23.01.2020

18) Edelweiss (Mountain Star), Swiss Alps, Mongolia: minted under the series titled "Numismatic Sculptures": Commemorative Gold Coins of 1000 Togrog and Silver Coins of 500 Togrog issued by Coin Invest Trust (CIT) and minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt, Munich for Mongolia

19) Federal Shooting Festival, Switzerland celebrated with the release of Silver 50 Franc and Gold 500 Franc "Talers" (or Medals) that are valid during the duration of the Festival: Issue Year: 2020

20) 200 Franc Banknote issued by the Swiss National Bank, Switzerland on 12.09.2019: Sixth and last of the six Banknotes in the Ninth Banknote Series released by the Bank in a phased manner

21) International Year of Plant Health, Switzerland: A Postage Stamp of CHF 0.85 issued by Swiss Post depicting a Japanese beetle eating a healthy plant leaf: Date os stamp issue: 05.03.2020

22) "Social Diversity": Liechtenstein - Switzerland: A Joint Stamp Issue of two stamps by Liechteinische Post and Swiss Post of CHF 1.00 and CHF 0.85: Stamp issue Date: 14.11.2019