Background

Imports

The Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reports that in recent months U.S. Customs and Border Protection has intercepted an increasing number of smuggled research samples that are derived from animals or were exposed to animal products that could pose a risk of introducing foreign animal diseases into the U.S.

APHIS is therefore reminding importers, researchers, and industry stakeholders that biological materials, regulated organisms, and animal-derived products and byproducts require an APHIS permit and/or supportive documentation prior to entry into the U.S. APHIS recommends using the Veterinary Services Permitting Assistant to determine the required permits and/or documentation for importing regulated commodities. Importers should also consult the APHIS Center for Veterinary Biologics if material will be used to prepare veterinary biologics at any stage in production.

APHIS warns that concealing, mislabeling, or failing to declare materials is illegal and constitutes smuggling. Violators may face confiscation, fines, civil penalties, and criminal prosecution.

Fertilizer

The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service reports that on July 13 the United Kingdom suspended its six percent tariff on urea ammonium nitrate, a liquid nitrogen fertilizer. The U.S. is the dominant exporter of this product to the UK.

Poultry

Effective Aug. 11 USDA removed restrictions on imports of poultry and related products originating from or transiting zone PCZ-329 in Saskatchewan, Canada, that had been imposed due to concerns about highly-pathogenic avian influenza. There are no longer any zones in Canada still subject to these restrictions.

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