Melissa O"Dell (301) 734-5222
Angela Harless (202) 720-4623
USDA PROPOSES TO ALLOW THE INTERSTATE MOVEMENT OF SEVEN FRUITS FROM HAWAII TO THE MAINLAND
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2007--The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to allow, under certain conditions, the interstate movement of commercial shipments of mangosteen, dragon fruit, melon, pods of cowpea, breadfruit, jackfruit and fresh moringa pods from Hawaii to the continental United States.
To ensure that plant pests do not enter the continental United States through the importation of these commodities, APHIS would require that the fruit undergo irradiation treatment. In addition, the fruit would have to meet other inspection and treatment requirements specific to the commodity and its pest risk.
This action would allow for the importation of these seven fruits from Hawaii while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests, such as the pink hibiscus mealybug, into the continental United States.
Notice of this proposed rule is scheduled for publication in the Nov. 15 Federal Register.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before Jan. 14, 2008. Send an original and three copies of postal mail or commercial delivery comments to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0050, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, Md. 20737-1238. If you wish to submit a comment using the Internet, go to the Federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov, select “Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service” from the agency drop-down menu; then click on “Submit.” In the Docket ID column, select APHIS-2007-0050 to submit or view public comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Comments are posted on the Regulations.gov Web site and may also be viewed at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th St. and Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:40 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Please call (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the comment reading room.
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