Vietnam
The Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service reports that, effective March 31, Vietnam eliminated or reduced its most-favored-nation import tariff rates on corn, soybean meal, ethanol, frozen chicken drumsticks, in-shell pistachios, almonds, fresh apples, cherries, and raisins.
Poultry from Canada
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has imposed the following restrictions on the importation of poultry and related products originating from or transiting zones PCZ-265 in Nova Scotia (effective March 21) and PCZ-266 in Ontario (effective March 24), Canada, due to concerns about highly-pathogenic avian influenza.
- Importation of poultry, commercial birds, ratites, avian hatching eggs, unprocessed avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh poultry products is prohibited.
- Importation of processed avian products and byproducts, imported as cargo, must be accompanied by an APHIS import permit and/or government certification confirming that the goods were treated in accordance with APHIS requirements.
- Importation of fresh, unprocessed shell/table eggs and egg products, void of the shell (e.g., liquid eggs and dried egg whites), imported as cargo, is prohibited unless they are consigned from the port of arrival directly to an APHIS-approved breaking and pasteurization facility. An import permit and/or certificate is not required in such cases.
- Fully finished, non-shelf stable and/or non-commercially packaged and labeled food products containing pasteurized egg/egg product ingredients, originating from or transiting all of Canada, must be accompanied by an APHIS import permit.
Separately, APHIS has removed restrictions on imports of poultry and related products originating from or transiting zones PCZ-260 in Quebec (effective March 28) PCZ-FV 6, 7, and 8 in British Columbia (effective March 28), PCZ-254 in Ontario (effective April 1), and PCZ-FV 3, 4, and 5 in British Columbia (effective April 4).
Avocados from Guatemala
Effective April 4, APHIS has updated the requirements for importation of fresh avocado fruit from Guatemala to address the risk of stem weevil.
Specifically, to be eligible to export such fruit to the U.S., the national plant protection organization of Guatemala must adhere to an operational workplan jointly developed with APHIS that details the activities and responsibilities the NPPO will carry out to meet the systems approach requirements for fresh avocados to address pests of concern. In addition to meeting the requirements listed in APHIS’ Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements database, the NPPO will establish and maintain pest-free places of production with a pest survey and control program for stem weevil. Detection of stem weevil or any pest of concern during export inspection or phytosanitary certification in Guatemala will result in regulatory action.
Glasswort from Israel
APHIS is considering a request to allow imports of fresh leaves and stems of glasswort from Israel into the U.S. for consumption and has drafted a pest risk assessment that lists the potential pests likely to remain on this commodity upon importation if no mitigation is applied. Comments on this assessment, including information that might lead APHIS to revise its assessment before identifying pest mitigations and proceeding with the commodity import approval process, are due by June 10.
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