Melissa O’Dell (301) 734-5222
Jerry Redding (202) 720-6959
USDA EXPANDS LIST OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ELIGIBLE FOR IMPORTATION
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2005–The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service today announced that it has expanded the list of fruits and vegetables eligible, under certain conditions, for importation into the United States. Many of these commodities were previously enterable under a permit but were not listed in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) until now. This action will improve the transparency of our regulations while continuing to protect against the introduction of quarantine pests through imported fruits and vegetables.
Each of these additional fruits and vegetables, as a condition of entry, will be inspected, subject to disinfection at the port of first arrival. In addition, some of the fruits and vegetables will be required to be treated or meet other special conditions.
Examples of the fruits and vegetables listed in the CFR as eligible for importation into the United States include: peppers from Belize, ginger root from China, blueberries from Colombia with treatment, pineapple from Ecuador and artichoke from Mexico. Some fruits and vegetables require a phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant protection organization in the country of origin stating that the product was inspected and found free of quarantine pests. Products will be inspected to ensure that the shipments are free of plant pests and diseases before entering the United States.
APHIS also announced several additional import measures, including:
- Recognizing several areas in Argentina and other countries as free from certain fruit flies;
- Expanding the areas in Brazil and Nicaragua where papayas are eligible for export into the United States;
- Modifying existing treatment requirements for specified commodities, as well as other miscellaneous changes.
The final rule is scheduled for publication in the Dec. 8 Federal Register and becomes effective upon publication.
