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APHIS Publishes Final Rule to Allow the Importation of Dendrobium spp. Orchid Plants from Taiwan into the United States

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Washington, D.C., January 30, 2018. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending its regulations to allow the importation of orchid plants of the genus Dendrobium spp. in growing media from Taiwan into the United States. After careful analysis, APHIS scientists have determined that this species of orchid from Taiwan can be safely imported under a systems approach.

The systems approach established by APHIS scientists is designed to protect against the introduction of plant pests and diseases. The systems approach requires the registration and monitoring of greenhouses and specific sanitation and pest control practices in Taiwan. In addition, each shipment must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate declaring that the imported plants meet U.S. regulatory conditions. Growers participating in the program must also sign a written agreement with Taiwan’s plant protection organization agreeing to comply with U.S. regulations and to allow inspectors access to their growing facilities as necessary to monitor compliance.

The rule becomes effective on March 1, 2018, thirty days after publication in the Federal Register.