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USDA Seeks Comment on Amendments to Regulations Pertaining to Importation of Hass Avocados from Mexico
May 27, 2010
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to amend regulations for the importation of Hass avocados originating in Michoacan, Mexico, into the United States. The proposed amendments add the option to ship avocados to the United States in bulk shipping bins, when safeguarding is maintained from the packinghouse to the port of first arrival in the United States. In addition, the proposed amendments make it clear that avocados may be shipped by land, sea or air. APHIS is also proposing to allow avocados from multiple packinghouses participating in the avocado export program to be combined into one consignment. APHIS is proposing these actions in response to requests from the government of Mexico and inquiries from a U.S. maritime port. These actions will allow additional options for shipping Hass avocados from Mexico to the United States and allow Mexican exporters to ship full container or truck loads from multiple packinghouses, while continuing to provide an appropriate level of protection against the introduction of plant pests into the United States.
This interim rule is published in today’s May 27 Federal Register.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before July 26. You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0016 to submit or view comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
- Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0016, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0016.
Comments are posted on the Regulations.gov Web site and also can be reviewed at USDA, Room 1411, South Building 14th St. and Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. To facilitate entry into the comment reading room, please call (202) 690-2817.
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Note to Reporters: Public notices and other APHIS information are available on the Internet and through Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds. Go to the APHIS news release page at www.aphis.usda.gov and click on the “Newsroom” button to view and/or sign up to receive releases via the RSS feed link. For additional information about this topic contact
Alyn Kiel at (301) 734-5222 or by e-mail at alyn.g.kiel@aphis.usda.gov.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write:
USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720.6382 (TDD).
