APHIS Reopens Comment Period on Proposal to Significantly Revise its Fruit and Vegetables Import Regulations
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a notice reopening the comment period for its April 2006 proposed rule that would revise and reorganize the regulations pertaining to the importation of fruits and vegetables.
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APHIS now states that it will consider all comments received on or before August 25, 2006 (rather than July 26, 2006).
APHIS Proposes Substantive Changes, Reorganization, Etc.
APHIS explains that the proposed rule would make substantive changes to the regulations, including: establishing criteria within the regulations that, if met, would allow APHIS to approve certain new fruits and vegetables for importation into the U.S. and to acknowledge pest-free areas in foreign countries more effectively and expeditiously; doing away with the practice of listing specific commodities that may be imported subject to certain types of phytosanitary measures; and providing for the issuance of special use permits for fruits and vegetables.
In addition, this proposed rule would revise and reorganize the regulations pertaining to the importation of fruits and vegetables to consolidate requirements of general applicability and eliminate redundant requirements, update terms and remove outdated requirements and references, update the regulations that apply to importations into territories under U.S. administration, and make various editorial and nonsubstantive changes to regulations to make them easier to use.
APHIS notes that the proposed changes are intended to simplify and expedite its processes for approving certain new imports and pest-free areas while continuing to allow for public participation in the processes.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 05/12/06, 05/16/06, 05/22/06, 05/24/06, and 05/25/06 06051215, 06051625, 06052235, 06052425, and 06052535, for Parts I - V of BP summary of the April 2006 proposed rule.)
APHIS Contact - Matthew Rhoads (301) 734-8790
APHIS Notice of Reopening (D/N APHIS-2005-0106, FR Pub 08/01/06) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-12336.pdf