The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is requesting comments by Oct. 20 for an existing information collection on the import of certain plants and plant products, as required by the Lacey Act. APHIS proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection with a change to the burden hours. While the estimated "number of respondents has decreased, there has been an overall increase in the burden estimates due to an increase in the number declarations completed per respondent," it said.
Canada will continue to conduct seed potato tuber inspections and certifications for all seed potato shipments to the U.S. until an alternative process for certification can be implemented by the U.S. and Canada, said the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in a notice emailed to industry on Aug. 19. In a letter sent earlier this month (here), the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said continuing inspections and certifications “will ensure that exported Canadian seed potatoes are fully compliant with importing countries’ requirements, including all U.S. federal and state phytosanitary import requirements. CFIA has been conducting all seed potato inspection and certification activities since January 2014, when it discontinued an industry audit-based system in response to U.S. concerns, said APHIS.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is setting new requirements for the importation of dogs, in a final rule that takes effect Nov. 17. The new regulations prohibit the importation of dogs into the continental U.S. or Hawaii for purposes of resale, research, or veterinary treatment, unless the dogs are in good health, have received all necessary vaccinations, and are at least six months of age. An import license will be required, along with health and vaccination certificates. Certain dogs imported for veterinary treatment are exempt from health, vaccination and age requirements, and dogs from British Isles, Australia, Guam, or New Zealand may be imported into Hawaii even if less than six months old.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes Aug. 13 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes Aug. 6 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes Aug. 4 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on July 23 issued Federal Order DA-2014-33 to add to the list of countries infested by tomato leaf miner, it said in a message to stakeholders sent Aug. 4. The new list of infested countries will now include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Togo and Ukraine. All except Kenya and South Sudan are approved to export tomatoes to the United States. Tomatoes from countries on the infested list must meet certain conditions before being imported. The order, which supersedes a Federal Order issued in 2012 (here), takes effect Aug. 6.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes July 30 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service needs to rethink “exorbitant” and “unfair” fee increases for agricultural quarantine and inspection services, according to a July 24 letter from 27 trade associations including the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America and the American Apparel & Footwear Association. The agency should withdraw the proposed rules it issued in April on AQI and overtime fee rates (see 14042321) so that industry can review the underlying data, they said.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes July 25 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.