Melissa O’Dell (301) 734-5222
Jerry Redding (202) 720-6959
USDA ALLOWS IMPORTATION OF PEPPERS FROM CERTAIN CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES
WASHINGTON, March 6, 2006–The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service today announced that it has amended its fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of certain types of peppers from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua without treatment.
To be eligible for importation, the peppers must be grown in approved production sites that are registered with the national plant protection organization of the exporting country. The peppers are also subject to pre-harvest inspection, trapping and shipping procedures. These conditions are designed to prevent the introduction of quarantine pests, such as the Mediterranean fruit fly, into the United States.
The final rule is scheduled to appear in the March 7 Federal Register and becomes effective upon publication.
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