USDA ALLOWS IMPORTATION OF ZAMBIAN BABY SQUASH AND BABY ZUCCHINI
December 17, 2008
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending its fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation into the continental United States of baby squash and baby zucchini from Zambia. As a condition of entry, both commodities must be produced in accordance with a systems approach that includes requirements for pest exclusion at the production site, fruit fly trapping inside and outside the production site and pest-excluding packinghouse procedures. Both commodities must also be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that the baby squash or baby zucchini have been produced in accordance with the requirements of the systems approach. This action will allow the importation of baby squash and baby zucchini from Zambia into the United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests.
This final rule is scheduled for publication in the Dec. 18 Federal Register and becomes effective on Jan. 20, 2009.
#
Note to Reporters: Public notices and other APHIS information are available on the Internet. Go to the APHIS news release page at http://www.aphis.usda.gov and click on the “Newsroom” button. For additional information about this topic contact Cindy Ragin at (301) 734-7280 or by e-mail at cindy.n.ragin@aphis.usda,gov.