APHIS Reopens Comment Period for Proposed Rule on Domestic and Foreign Quarantine of Hass Avocados
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is reopening the comment period on its proposed rule to amend its domestic quarantine regulations to provide for the interstate movement of certain quarantined Hass avocados under certain conditions; and to amend its foreign quarantine regulations to remove certain trapping and bait spray treatment requirements. Comments are now due on or before June 26, 2008.
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APHIS states that the proposed rule would harmonize the domestic and foreign requirements for moving Hass avocados and would relieve unnecessary restrictions for avocado producers.
(APHIS issued the proposed rule as recently completed research found that unharvested Hass avocados are not a natural host to various species in the Anastrepha genus, which include Mexican and sapote fruit flies.)
Proposed Eligible Interstate Movement of Avocados from Quarantined Areas
Under the proposed rule, U.S.-grown Hass avocados would be eligible to move interstate from areas quarantined for the Mexican fruit fly or sapote fruit fly provided certain conditions are met. The avocados would have to be harvested and protected from fruit fly infestations during movement from the orchard to the packinghouse. The avocados also would have to be accompanied by a field record indicating the location of the orchard where the fruit originated.
Proposed Removal of Trapping, Bait Spray Requirements for Mexican Avocados
APHIS also proposes to remove the current trapping and bait spray requirements for Hass avocados from Mexico, because the restrictions are no longer necessary to safely import these products into the U.S. However, APHIS would still require Mexican Hass avocados to meet post-harvest safeguarding and other existing import requirements prior to entry into the U.S.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 04/04/08 news, 08040499 2, for BP summary of APHIS' proposed rule.)
-comments are now due by June 26, 2008
| Wayne Burnett (domestic quarantine) | (301) 734-6553 |
| David Lamb (import conditions) | (301) 734-8758 |
APHIS notice (D/N APHIS-2006-0189, FR Pub 06/12/08) available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-13226.pdf
APHIS press release (dated 06/11/08) available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2008/06/hasscomnt.shtml