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Melissa O’Dell (301) 734-5222
Marci Hilt (202) 720-4623
USDA TO ALLOW GUAVA IMPORTS FROM MEXICO UNDER STREAMLINED PROCESS
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2008--The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today said it will allow fresh irradiated guavas to be imported from Mexico into the United States under a streamlined process.
APHIS published the pest risk analysis for guavas from Mexico on June 26. Based on the findings of the analysis, APHIS determined that guavas from Mexico can be safely imported into the United States subject to one or more of five designated phytosanitary measures that will mitigate the risk of introducing plants pests. Therefore, guavas from Mexico are eligible for the agency’s notice-based approval process.
To be eligible for importation, the guavas must be part of a commercial shipment and irradiated with a minimum dose of 400 gray (Gy). It must also be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Mexican national plant protection organization containing an additional declaration that states, “The fruit in this shipment was treated by irradiation with a minimum absorbed dose of 400 Gy and inspected and found free of Oligonychus biharensis, Oligonychus psidium, Mycovellosiella psidii, Pestalotiopsis psidii and Sphaceloma psdii.”
In July 2007, USDA published a final rule which streamlined an approval process for importing certain fruits and vegetables under what is known as the Quarantine 56 (Q56) regulations. Q56 pertains to the prohibitions and restrictions concerning the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United States. While this process continues to provide stringent protections for U.S. agriculture, it employs notices rather than lengthier rulemaking to solicit public involvement in the approval process. It is a less time-consuming approach that allows USDA plant health specialists to focus on more complex domestic and import issues.
Under this approach, a commodity becomes eligible if the risk analysis demonstrates that it can be brought safely into the United States subject to one or more of the five designated phytosanitary measures. The measures include port-of-entry inspection; approved postharvest treatment; a phytosanitary certificate verifying that the commodity originated from a pest-free area; as well as a phytosanitary certificate verifying that the commodity is free from a specified pest or pests or that the risk associated with the commodity can be mitigated through commercial practices. A notice announcing the availability of the pest risk analysis then is published in the Federal Register with the opportunity for public comment.
To learn more about the revisions made to USDA’s fruit and vegetable regulations, please go to www.aphis.usda.gov and click on the Quarantine 56 hot issues link.
A notice was published in the Oct. 14 Federal Register and became effective upon publication announcing that APHIS will begin issuing permits for guava imports from Mexico.
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