The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is allowing imports of fresh rosemary and tarragon from Ethiopia, effective Dec. 20, according to a notice. "Based on findings of pest risk analyses, which we made available to the public for review and comment through a previous notice, we have determined that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the importation of rosemary and tarragon from Ethiopia," APHIS said. The change applies to the importation of leaves and stems of rosemary and tarragon.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is a USDA agency responsible for protecting animal and plant health and welfare. APHIS protects U.S. plants, wildlife, and agriculture from invasive plants, animals, and diseases. To facilitate this, APHIS works with CBP to regulate the import and export of animals, animal products, and plants.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is restricting imports of animal commodities originating from or transiting through El Salvador, after detecting New World screwworm in cattle in the country, USDA announced in a news release Dec. 17.
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., asked Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to make sure that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service doesn't prematurely end its ban on livestock imports from Mexico.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is seeking to remove the requirement that fruit imported from New Zealand include a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that the fruit is free of the light brown apple moth (LBAM), it said in a notice.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is finalizing changes to exemptions from regulations governing imports of genetically modified plants, the agency said Nov. 12. The changes become effective Nov. 13, APHIS said in a notice.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will allow imports of fresh Hass avocado fruit from Guatemala, it said in a notice released Nov. 7. An agency pest risk analysis found “the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds” with the importation of Guatemalan avocados, APHIS said. APHIS will begin authorizing imports of avocadoes from Guatemala Nov. 8.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service intends to allow imports of Phalaenopsis spp. orchid plants from Germany and the Netherlands in approved growing media into the U.S., it said in a notice. "To be eligible for importation, plants for planting in approved growing media must be of approved plant taxa and come from a facility that is part of an approved growing media program approved by APHIS," the agency said. Such a program deploys measures described by APHIS in the notice to mitigate the risk of pest introduction. If APHIS finalizes the decision, it will allow imports of Phalaenopsis spp. orchid plants from the two countries into the U.S., subject to the phytosanitary requirements specified by the agency. Comments will be accepted through Jan. 6.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is allowing, effective Oct. 29, fresh soursop fruit from Mexico, it said in a notice. Soursop fruit (Annona muricata) is also known as guanabana. "Based on findings of a pest risk analysis, which we made available to the public for review and comment through a previous notice, we have determined that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the importation of fresh soursop fruit from Mexico," APHIS said.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will allow importation of three species of dwarf maple -- Acer buergerianum, A. palmatum and A. pseudosieboldianum -- from South Korea into the U.S., subject to certain phytostanitary requirements, it said in a notice. Imports may be authorized beginning Oct. 21.