Washington, D.C.– The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to amend its regulations to allow the importation of fresh pummelo fruit from Thailand into the continental United States. After analyzing the potential plant pest risks, APHIS scientists determined that pummelos from Thailand can be safely imported under a systems approach. APHIS will publish the proposed rule on March 29, 2018 and accept comments for 60 days.
The systems approach is a series of measures taken by growers, packers, and shippers that, in combination, minimize pest risks prior to importation into the continental United States. In this case, the systems approach requires multiple safeguards including irradiation treatment, packinghouse processing requirements, and port of entry inspection. The fruit must also be imported in commercial shipments and be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate declaring it was produced under these conditions.
APHIS will carefully consider all comments received by the deadline May 28, 218 and then make its decision regarding any change to the Agency’s import regulations for pummelo from Thailand into the continental United States.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!
docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016- 0034. - Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2016-0034, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
- Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!
docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0034 or in our reading room, which is located in room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 7997039 before coming.
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