On June 7, 2010, APHIS updated its Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Treatment Manual. This Manual serves as an operational guide for selecting and conducting quarantine treatments. The procedures and treatment schedules in this manual are administratively authorized for use by APHIS to prevent the movement of agricultural pests into or within the United States. Listed treatments include chemical treatments such as fumigation with methyl bromide, and nonchemical treatments with heat, cold, or irradiation.
On June 7, 2010, APHIS updated its Miscellaneous and Processed Products PPQ Manual. The manual is used for regulating imported items that are processed and are not intended for propagation.
On June 7, 2010, APHIS updated its Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Animal Product Manual. This Manual provides the background, procedures, and regulatory actions to enforce the regulations governing the import and export of animals, animal products, and animal by-products.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a proposed rule regarding the importation of Unshu oranges from Korea to remove requirements for the fruit to be grown in specified canker-free export areas and for joint inspection in the groves and packinghouses by the Government of Korea and APHIS, among other things. Comments are due by August 9, 2010.
On June 3, 2010, APHIS updated its PPQ Export Program Manual. This is an operational manual for Authorized Certification Officials to enable them to inspect and issue Federal Export Certificates for plants and plant products. The Manual also provides information that helps exporters meet the plant quarantine import requirements of foreign countries.
On June 2, 2010, APHIS updated its Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Import PPQ Manual. The manual lists by country fruits and vegetables that are admissible into the United States. It includes a description of methods for sampling and inspecting selected fruits and vegetables. It also contains pictorial identification guides, and a glossary for common and scientific names of fruits and vegetables.
On May 31, 2010, APHIS updated its Cut Flowers and Greenery Import Manual. The manual provides the background, procedures, and reference tables for regulating the fresh, cut portion of the plant when it is imported for decoration or ornamentation, and for protecting plants that are threatened with extinction due to trade in those plants or their derivatives.
On May 28, 2010, APHIS updated the Manual for Agricultural Clearance. The manual provides CBP personnel working at airport and maritime locations with the guidelines, directions, and policy for clearing carriers and passengers/crew and controlling garbage and cargo.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has placed temporary restrictions on the importation of sexually intact bovines (cattle and bison) from British Columbia. These restrictions are based on recent importations of three cows from the province found to be reactors for brucellosis on slaughter testing.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is announcing that it notified U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on April 22, 2010, that effective immediately APHIS veterinary services has placed temporary restrictions on certain commodities from Japan due to foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), based on notifications from Japan of an outbreak in cattle that is consistent with FMD.