The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is planning to update the entry conditions for imports of citrus longhorned beetle (CLB) and Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) host plants from Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, APHIS said in a notice. Those countries "have previously approved genera exempted from the category of plants Not Authorized Pending Pest Risk Analysis," it said. The exempt plants from those countries "would be admissible with the current import permit requirements with a stem or root collar diameter greater than 10 mm (0.4 inches)," it said. APHIS also plans to recognize 22 EU states as being free from CLB and ALB, but the import requirements for host plants will only change for the four countries, it said. Comments on the changes are due Sept. 16.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is adding Bulgaria to the list of regions it considers to be affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), it said in a notice. Temporary restrictions on importation of poultry, commercial birds, other types of birds (research, performing), ratites, any avian hatching eggs, unprocessed avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh poultry products from Bulgaria have been in place since Oct. 17, 2018, after discovery of the virus in the country, APHIS said.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is issuing a final rule to overhaul its regulations on importation and interstate movements of plant pests. The agency’s new regulations codify and clarify existing permitting procedures, as well as create new lists of exempt plant pests and biological control organisms that APHIS determines present no risk to plants and plant products. The final rule also sets new packaging requirements for plant pests, biological control agents and soil, and revises APHIS’s regulations on importation of soil, stone and quarry products. The new regulations take effect Aug. 8.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to loosen requirements on importation of bovines and bovine products from Nicaragua, it said in a notice. APHIS intends to reclassify Nicaragua as having negligible risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, concurring with recommendations recently issued by the Organization for Animal Health, the agency said. Nicaragua is currently classified as having controlled risk of BSE. Imports of bovines and bovine products from countries with controlled BSE risk face tighter restrictions. Comments are due Aug. 16.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is adding Mongolia to its list of regions subject to import restrictions on pork and pork products because they are affected by African swine fever, it said in a notice. Restrictions take effect retroactively to Jan. 10, 2019.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing an overhaul of its regulations on importation and other movements of genetically engineered organisms. Under the proposed rule, importers would have the choice of either an APHIS review pre-importation to determine whether a permit is necessary, or just applying for a permit. Developers of GE organisms would also be able to self-determine that their GE organism is exempt, though invalid self-determinations would be subject to penalties.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will continue trade in swine products "in the event African swine fever (ASF) is reported in either country," the chief veterinary officers from both countries said in a joint statement. "For business continuity, Canada and the United States have worked to modify their export certificates to allow trade of live swine, swine semen, pet food and animal by-products and meat to continue trade in approved disease-free zones in the event of an ASF outbreak," the CVOs said. The two countries previously set out principles for trade and zoning to help slow the spread of diseases.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to eliminate the requirement that carnation cuttings imported from Kenya be quarantined upon arrival in the U.S. under certain conditions, it said in a notice. Currently, carnation (Dianthus spp.) cuttings are exempt from postentry quarantine when imported from Canada, and are conditionally exempt from quarantine when imported from Great Britain or the Netherlands. APHIS is proposing to also conditionally exempt Kenyan carnation cuttings, subject to conditions including registration of greenhouses and growers, growing requirements, inspections and a phytosanitary certificate from the Kenyan government. Comments are due July 8.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is finalizing changes to its regulations on the importation of peppers from South Korea, it said. The final rule increases the mesh size of the screening over vent openings in South Korean greenhouses from 0.6 mm to 1.6 mm, provided that sticky traps are used as an additional measure for pest monitoring. The change in mesh size was requested by the South Korean government. The new requirements take effect May 9.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service may allow the importation of peppers from Colombia, it said in a notice. The agency has issued a draft pest risk analysis that recommends that imports be allowed, with certain conditions, including packing requirements, phytosanitary certificates from the Colombian government, registration of production locations, and port of entry inspections, among other things. Comments on the draft pest risk analysis are due July 8.