Regulated Organism and Soil Permits |
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One of the purposes of PPQ permits is to prevent the dissemination of plant pests into or through the United States. As a consequence, PPQ may only issue permits for certain organisms when and where the containment features of the receiving facility are adequate to prevent the dissemination of the organisms.
In certain situations, a facility must be inspected prior to the issuance of a PPQ 526 Permit. We inspect facilities to determine if they are adequate for containment of the regulated organism(s). Diagnostic facilities are inspected routinely. Applications for foreign organisms (including foreign strains, biotypes, races, isolates, etc.) and Program Pests currently under federal quarantine, trigger the need for a facility inspection.
PPQ will contact you to arrange for a facility inspection (if an inspection is needed) during the processing that occurs after an application is submitted. Inspections conducted using a PPQ are not the same as inspections by CDC, Safety Officers, or other entities.
The following criteria are used to determine if a containment facility inspection is required prior to issuance of an organism permit:
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Import an Exotic Insect or Mite
If you plan to import an exotic insect or mite, you will most likely be required to import the organism into an inspected containment facility. The following factors are taken into consideration when evaluating the level of containment required to receive imported insects and mites:
- whether the organism is indigenous to the U.S;
- whether the organism is indigenous to the area where you plan to move it;
- host plant availability;
- size and mobility of organism;
- life stage to be moved;
- number of organisms to be shipped; and
- whether you plan to maintain a colony or destroy them upon arrival.
Related Information
If you are applying for a PPQ permit that meets the criteria for an inspection and your facility or laboratory has not been previously inspected, then you should anticipate a one to three month delay in processing your application.
When PPQ evaluates the containment capabilities of a facility, physical and operational characteristics are examined relative to the risks of the organisms and their methods of actual or potential dispersal from the facility. The operational characteristics of the facility are developed by the applicant and the attached Outline for Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) may be used to prepare this document. For butterflies, use the attached Outline for Standard Operating Procedures. These documented operational features will be confirmed during the inspection.
APHIS has developed guidelines for the containment of organisms. These guidelines vary depending upon the type of organism to be contained and the risk posed by those organisms. Not all elements in the following guidelines apply to all organisms to be contained and the guidelines are guidelines not regulations.
- Containment Guidelines for Educational Displays of Adult, Non-Indigenous Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera)
- Containment Facility Guidelines for Noxious Weeds and Parasitic Plants
- Containment Guidelines for Non-Indigenous, Phytophagous Arthropods and Their Parasitoids and Predators
- Containment Guidelines for the Receipt, Rearing and Display of Non-Indigenous Arthropods in Zoos, Museums, and Other Public Displays
- Containment Guidelines for Plant Pathogenic Nematodes
- Containment Guidelines for Non-Indigenous Snails
- Containment Guidelines for Plant Pathogenic Bacteria
- Containment Facility Guidelines for Viral Plant Pathogens and Their Vectors
- Containment Facility Guidelines for Fungal Plant Pathogens
Before beginning construction of a containment facility, you should contact Pest Permit Evaluations staff and discuss our containment requirements with a Containment Facility Evaluation Specialist.
Frequently Asked Questions
View a list of the commonly asked questions and concerns associated with containment facility inspections.
Contact Information:
USDA/APHIS/PPQ/PRIM
4700 River Road, Unit 133
Riverdale, MD 20737
Telephone: 301.734.0841
Fax: 301.734.5392
Email: Pest.Permits@aphis.usda.gov