Annual Facility Certification for the Offshore Greenhouse Certification Program

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will conduct annual certification visits to offshore greenhouse facilities that wish to export eligible generally admissible unrooted plant cuttings as part of the Offshore Greenhouse Certification Program (OGCP) during the 2023-2024 season. Interested facilities must meet the program’s minimum standards for greenhouse construction, security, production and sanitation, pest management, training, and recordkeeping described in the Offshore Greenhouse Certification Program Framework.

APHIS plans to physically visit and certify interested offshore facilities during peak harvest before March 1, 2024. Interested facilities must cover the full cost of these certification visits, including travel, salary, benefits, and overtime. The facilities will provide these funds in a trust fund established through a signed cooperative service agreement.

If you are interested in scheduling a certification visit, please send official correspondence via the National Plant Protection Organization of the exporting country to APHIS by October 15, 2023. For questions or further information please refer to the OGCP’s website, the Frequently Asked Questions document or contact Karelyn Cruz, Offshore Program Manager (Karelyn.cruz@usda.gov).