The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will continue to accept electronic copies of phytosanitary certificates and forms until Sept. 30, the agency told the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America in a letter dated Feb. 3 and subsequently released by the NCBFAA. APHIS has been accepting the electronic copies through CBP’s Document Image System as a measure to mitigate COVID-19 disruptions, and had been set to end the policy prior to an NCBFAA letter asking for an extension sent in mid-January (see 2201180050).
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to allow importation of three species of dwarf maple -- Acer buergerianum, A. palmatum, and A. pseudosieboldianum -- from South Korea into the United States, subject to certain phytostanitary requirements, it said in a notice released Jan. 28. Comments are due April 1.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced that it has reached a final decision that the Neuchatel and Ticino cantons of Switzerland are free of Newcastle disease. The change in disease status eliminates certain restrictions for importation of carcasses, meat, parts or products of carcasses, and eggs (other than hatching eggs) of poultry, game birds or other birds from the two cantons. The determination takes effect Jan. 20.
The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America issued a letter on Jan. 14 urging the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to continue accepting copies of phytosanitary certificates to the agency's Document Image System. APHIS twice has extended its temporary policy of accepting copies -- most recently from Jan. 1 to March 31 (see 2112290032) -- which is in place to mitigate challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. "Shuffling thousands of pieces of paper through the supply chain in an otherwise electronic system never made sense in the best of times," the trade group said. "In the current chaos, the prospect is alarming."
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will allow importers a few more months before it begins rejecting copies of phytosanitary certificates for plant commodities, it said Dec. 29. The agency had previously said it would end the policy of accepting copies Jan. 1 (see 2112100059), but now says it will begin accepting only originals on March 31. The policy is in place to mitigate challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to allow importation of pummelo from Vietnam into the United States, subject to certain phytostanitary requirements, it said in a notice released Dec. 23. Comments are due Feb. 25.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will classify Canada as having Level I risk for both bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis, it said in a notice released Dec. 23. Level I is the least restrictive level in APHIS’s bovine importation scheme, and allows imports of sexually intact bovines without a certificate or other restrictions. Imports under this classification may be authorized beginning Dec. 27.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters: