Officials from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have confirmed that APHIS will be enforcing its requirement for plant material quantities to be reported on the Lacey Act declaration using standardized metric units (such as kg, m, m2, and m3), for both paper and electronic Lacey Act Amendment declarations.
On May 13, 2010, APHIS updated its Japanese Beetle Program PPQ Manual for Airports. This manual provides guidelines to protect the agriculture of the Western United States from the Japanese Beetle. (Manual, updated 05/13/10, available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/domestic/downloads/japanese_beetle.pdf)
On May 13, 2010, APHIS updated its Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Nursery Stock Restrictions Manual. This Manual summarizes the entry status of regulated plant materials capable of and intended for propagation. (Manual, updated 05/13/10, available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/nursery_stock.pdf)
On May 13, 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. (Manual, updated 05/13/10, available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/treatment.shtml)
On May 17, 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. (Manual, updated 05/17/10, available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/fv.pdf)
On May 17, 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. (Manual, updated 05/17/10, available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/mac.shtml)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is correcting its final rule, which amended the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of commercial consignments of tomatoes from the Souss- Massa-Draa region of Morocco into the U.S., to correct the national plant protection organization of Morocco name to the National Office of Food Safety. (D/N APHIS-2008-0017, FR Pub 05/20/10, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-12027.pdf)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message on the recently posted Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service notice requiring plant material quantities to be reported on the Lacey Act declaration using standardized metric units (such as kg, m, m2, and m3) effective May 1, 2010.
CBP issued a CSMS message stating that APHIS recently posted a clarification stating that beginning May 1, 2010, APHIS is requiring that plant material quantities be reported on the Lacey Act declaration using standardized metric units (such as kg, m, m2, m3). This change only affects importers using the paper PPQ 505 form, and does not impact any entity filing electronically via ABI. There are no pending programming changes for Lacey Act reporting in ABI. (See ITT’s Online Archives or 05/13/10 news, 10051356, for BP summary of APHIS granting a grace period for the metric requirement.) (CSMS #10-000124, dated 05/18/10, available at http://apps.cbp.gov/csms/viewmssg.asp?Recid=17907&page=&srch_argv=10-000124&srchtype=all&btype=&sortby=&sby)
Various U.S. government agencies are seeking comments on the following information collections for which they have requested or intend to request Office of Management and Budget approval or extension of approval (see notices for specific details):