The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service marked the beginning of mango trade between the U.S. and Pakistan with the arrival of the first shipment. The mangoes must be treated with specified doses of irradiation at an APHIS-certified facility. In addition, each shipment must be accompanied by a certificate issued by the national plant protection organization of Pakistan with additional declarations certifying that the consignment was inspected. The fruit will also be subject to inspection at the port of first arrival into the U.S.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has updated the following PPQ electronic manuals as of July 28, 2011 (since July 21, 2011):
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is seeking comment on its determination that 148 taxa of "plants for planting" are either quarantine pests or hosts of quarantine pests and should therefore be added to APHIS' new lists of taxa of plants for planting whose importation is Not Authorized Pending Pest Risk Analysis (NAPPRA).
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is advising the public of its decision, effective July 27, 2011, to authorize the importation into the continental U.S. of garlic from the European Union and other countries, subject to certain phytosanitary measures. The measures include that the garlic be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration attesting freedom from Brachycerus spp. and Dyspessa ulula, and that it only be imported into the continental U.S. in commercial consignments.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is advising the public of its decision to authorize the importation into the continental U.S. of fresh persimmon fruit from the Republic of South Africa. Based on the findings of a pest risk analysis, APHIS believes 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 persimmon fruit from South Africa.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced that it will enforce a federal quarantine order beginning July 30, 2011 that restricts the importation of rice into the U.S. from countries with known Khapra beetle infestations.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule, effective July 26, 2011, which amends the regulations concerning the importation of fruits and vegetables to allow the importation of fresh shepherd’s purse with roots from the Republic of Korea into the U.S. under a combination of mitigations to reduce the risk of introducing plant pests.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is advising the public that it has determined that 41 taxa of plants for planting are quarantine pests and 107 taxa of plants for planting are hosts of 13 quarantine pests and therefore should be added to APHIS' lists of taxa of plants for planting whose importation is not authorized pending pest risk analysis. APHIS is also making data sheets that detail the scientific evidence it evaluated in making the determination that the taxa are quarantine pests or hosts of quarantine pests available to the public for review and comment. Comments are due by September 26, 2011.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announces the availability of a risk analysis concerning the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) status of Japan and the risk of susceptible animals and animal products from Japan harboring the FMD virus.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is advising the public of its decision to authorize the importation into the continental U.S. of fresh edible flowers of izote, immature inflorescences of pacaya, immature inflorescences of chufle, and fresh leaves of chipilin from El Salvador. Based on the findings of four pest risk analyses, APHIS believes 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 these products from El Salvador.