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USDA Seeks Comment on Amendments to Nursery Stock Regulations
April 6, 2010
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is issuing an interim rule to amend the regulations governing the importation of nursery stock to prohibit the importation of propagative seed of several Rutaceae (citrus family) genera from certain countries where citrus greening or citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) is present. We are also requiring propagative seed of these genera imported from all other countries to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration that neither citrus greening nor CVC are known to occur in the country where the seed was produced. Scientific evidence indicates that seed of certain genera of the family Rutaceae may be a pathway for the introduction of those diseases. This action is necessary in order to prevent the introduction of citrus greening and CVC into unaffected areas of the United States.
This interim rule is published in today’s April 6 Federal Register and becomes effective upon publication.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before June 7. You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/
main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0052 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-2008-0052, 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-2008-0052.
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.
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 http://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 Greg Rosenthal at (301) 734-3265 or by e-mail at gregory.j.rosenthal@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).
