How APHIS Facilitates Agricultural Exports
Plant Protection & Quarantine
Veterinary Services
November 1999
As the world moves into to the 21st century, nations have modified
their ideas of protectionism and embraced such international trade
agreements as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Countries
have opened their doors a little wider to the prospects of new trade,
particularly in the area of agriculture. With this increased
interest in agricultural trade comes a bigger, more visible role for
the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS).
APHIS helps to facilitate agricultural trade for both importers and
exporters, and its Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) unit is central
to the successful flow of healthy commodities into and out of the
United States. PPQ is responsible for ensuring that healthy
seeds, plants, bulbs, timber, flowers, vegetables, fruits, and a multitude
of other agricultural commodities can be exported without threatening
agriculture and natural resources. APHIS' Veterinary Services
(VS) unit ensures that animals and animal products, such as semen
and embryos, can be exported from this country without threatening
the animal health in their countries of destination.
U.S. Agricultural Exports Equals Big Business
The United States is by far the world's largest exporter of agricultural
commodities: our 1998 agricultural exports were worth more than
$51 billion. American farmers truly do feed the world, and APHIS
helps not only to facilitate the trade of U.S. agricultural products
but to expand markets as well. For example, in 1999, after several
years of negotiations, the USDA announced that Japan would allow entry
of all U.S. tomatoes, a move worth $50 million to U.S. growers.
The change was made after APHIS officials proved that the tomatoes
were no threat to Japanese agriculture. In 1998, the USDA signed
several animal sanitary protocols with China for U.S. livestock and
livestock genetics. With this move, U.S. producers will be able
expand the livestock and livestock genetics export market to China—a
market that totaled $6 million in 1996. These are just a few
of the many examples in which efforts by APHIS have paid off for American
farmers and exporters.
Plant Export Certification
PPQ assists American farmers and exporters by providing phytosanitary
inspection and certification for plants and plant products being shipped
to foreign countries. As a courtesy, PPQ will provide phytosanitary
certificates to exporters when required by a foreign country.
The phytosanitary certificates verify that the products have been
inspected and are pest and disease free. PPQ issues two kinds
of phytosanitary certificates—those for domestic plants and plant
products, and those for foreign plants and plant products offered
for reexport. More than 25 billion dollars' worth of exported
commodities were supported by phytosanitary certificates issued by
PPQ in 1997. To obtain information or apply for a phytosanitary
inspection and certification, contact your local Federal or State
plant regulatory office, or for general information contact
USDA—APHIS—PPQ
Export Unit, Phytosanitary Issues Management
4700 River Road, Unit 140
Riverdale, MD 20737-1228
Telephone: (301) 734-8537
Fax: (301) 734-3249
EXCERPT Program—Because of the sheer quantity of certificates
that PPQ issues—paperwork for more than 300,000 shipments each year—and
because many countries have vastly different entry requirements for
agricultural products, PPQ developed a data base to track the phytosanitary
requirements for each country. This data base, called EXCERPT,
allows PPQ officers, State and county officials, and even industry
members to access export information. For example, if a U.S.
exporter wanted to send flour to Mexico, that exporter could access
the EXCERPT data base to find that they need a phytosanitary certificate
and an import permit from Mexican authorities. The same exporter
would also be able to find out that there is no specific certification
needed to ship fruit for consumption to Hong Kong.
The data base also lists the status of endangered plant species, the
commodities that are not eligible to be exported to specific countries,
and any changes in other countries' entry requirements. EXCERPT
identifies ports that are authorized to certify for export those endangered
and threatened plants protected by the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
For example, PPQ officials at San Francisco, a CITES-approved port,
can certify cacti for export.
With the availability of such extensive export information, U.S. exporters
usually do not run into any complications with trade. However,
in cases where U.S. goods arrive at a foreign nation and are denied
entry, PPQ will try to negotiate with foreign plant health authorities
on behalf of the U.S. exporter.
User Fees for Plant Exporters—Under direction from Congress,
PPQ charges a user fee for issuing phytosanitary certificates.
These fees cover the costs of providing certification services, and
exporters must pay at the time the certificate is issued.
Exporting Animals, Birds, and Animal Products
APHIS' VS works closely with exporters who engage in trade with foreign
nations. VS has a data base called the International Regulation
Retrieval System in Fort Collins, CO, that lists the animal health
requirements of other countries. Both exporters and veterinarians
can access this retrieval system if they have the necessary computer
equipment.
For requirements on exporting animal products to foreign countries,
exporters should contact their trading partners in the foreign country.
VS will work with exporters to meet those requirements, both in examining
the products and issuing certificates.
For permit applications and information about import and export requirements
and user fees for animals, birds, and animal products, contact
USDA-APHIS-VS
National Center for Import/Export
4700 River Road, Unit 40
Riverdale, MD 20737-1231
Telephone: (301) 734-3277
Fax: (301) 734-6402
Exporting CITES-Listed Plants and Animals
PPQ enforces the plant provisions of CITES and supplies exporters
who are engaging in the commercial trade of CITES-listed plants with
general permits. Exporters may obtain a general permit from
PPQ by contacting
USDA-APHIS-PPQ
Permit Unit
4700 River Road, Unit 136
Riverdale, MD 20737-1236
Telephone: (301) 734-8645
Fax: (301) 734-5786
These exporters must also obtain export permits for the plants from
the U.S. Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
All FWS-issued export permits for plants must be validated by PPQ
at a designated port before export to help assure that the foreign
country will accept shipment.
FWS also issues export permits for any animals, like sea turtles and
crocodiles, that are protected by CITES. To obtain an export
permit from FWS for CITES-listed plants or animals, call (800) 358-2104.
FWS charges a $25 processing fee for these permits and requires that
animals and plants be shipped out of designated ports.
Facilitating Trade
These days, under the influence of trade agreements such as NAFTA
and GATT, agricultural trade is booming. And APHIS' dual role
of facilitating agricultural exports while protecting American agriculture
has become even more crucial. PPQ's and VS' export certification
efforts inspire much-needed trust from foreign countries that they
are receiving healthy, pest- and disease-free agricultural shipments.
Moreover, APHIS' efforts on the homefront to protect American agriculture
ensure that U.S. consumers can continue to enjoy the tastes of American
products while still sampling the tastes of the rest of the world.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination
in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases
apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative
means for communication of program information (Braille, large print,
audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600
(voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director,
Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice
and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Click here for printable
version (PDF)