The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a final rule entitled: "Importation of Wooden Handicrafts from China." APHIS had issued a supplemental proposed rule in 2010 in order to make several technical changes to its 2009 proposed rule that would provide for the resumption of the importation of certain wooden handicrafts from China under specified conditions.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is advising the public of the availability of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for its support of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research and field release of two insects, the Arundo scale and the Arundo wasp as biological control agents for the non-native and invasive Carrizo cane in the continental U.S. Following independent analysis and review of the APHIS EAs, CBP has adopted the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service EAs regarding the Arundo wasp and Arundo scale. Based on this analysis and review, CBP has determined that the release of the Arundo wasp and Arundo scale in CBP-controlled areas will not have a significant effect on the environment, and thus has issued a FONSI.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted a fact sheet on its Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center (CTAC), a facility established in 2009 that serves as a multi-agency fusion center for targeting commercial shipments that pose a threat to health and safety. Agencies participating in CTAC include CBP, Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), and the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Other appropriate Federal agencies may be added to CTAC in the future.
On November 17, 2011, the House is scheduled to consider the conference version of H.R. 2112, a fiscal year 2012 appropriations bill for Agriculture, Commerce, and Transportation1,2 which would provide funding for Food Safety Modernization Act implementation, export promotion, etc. The conference version of H.R. 2112 also includes a Continuing Resolution to avoid a government shutdown and continue other federal operations until December 16, 2011 or Congress completes the remaining nine FY 2012 Appropriations bills. The Senate is expected to consider the bill sometime after the House.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service states that it has reviewed its risk assessment and rulemaking processes in response to trading partners’ requests to ship new plants, animals and products to the U.S. APHIS found that by streamlining the drafting of risk assessments, improving project management and tracking, and assigning deadlines to specific steps in the process, the agency can expect to see dramatic improvements, including time-savings of more than 70 percent. The improvements to APHIS’ risk assessment and rulemaking processes are part of the USDA Customer Service Plan, which identifies key actions to modernize and streamline USDA processes and reduce costs.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service has recently revised export requirements and plant lists for the following countries:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule, which effective November 25, 2011 adds Liechtenstein and Switzerland to the region of Europe that APHIS recognizes as low risk for classical swine fever (CSF). APHIS is also adding Liechtenstein to the list of regions considered free from swine vesicular disease (SVD) and to the list of regions considered free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and rinderpest. This final rule will relieve some restrictions on the importation of live swine, swine semen, pork, and pork products from these two countries.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has updated the following PPQ electronic manuals through November 9, 2011 (since the last update dated October 31):
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a letter to the trade regarding the interstate movement of Christmas trees and wreaths, as such items are federally regulated in certain areas of the country. These regulations aim to prevent the spread of damaging forest pests such as gypsy moth, pine shoot beetle, as well as the sudden oak death pathogen, Phytophthora ramorum, which can spread by moving a number of decorative wood products. APHIS regulations, as well as some State regulations, require certain conditions be met in order to move Christmas trees and wreaths out of quarantined areas. Further information is available here.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule, effective November 25, 2011, that amends the regulations governing the importation of animals and animal products to add Liechtenstein and Switzerland to the region of Europe that APHIS now recognizes as low risk for classical swine fever (CSF). APHIS is also adding Liechtenstein to the list of regions APHIS considers free from swine vesicular disease (SVD) and to the list of regions considered free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and rinderpest. These actions will relieve some restrictions on the importation into the U.S. of certain animals and animal products from these regions.