Potatoes
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a notification that the entry requirements for potatoes originating in Prince Edward Island, Canada, changed effective Oct. 5, as follows.
- importation of cull potatoes from PEI is prohibited
- potatoes imported for consumption cannot be repurposed as seed potatoes
- bulk shipments (50 lbs or larger) may only be imported to facilities approved by the Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that have signed compliance agreements detailing waste-handling procedures
- shipments must have full traceability, including tracking from production site to packinghouse and through any U.S. repackaging to allow a full trace-back and recall
- potatoes must be soil-free upon inspection at a CBP port of entry
- potatoes must be washed with a forced stream of water to eliminate all adhering soil; brushing and rinsing may be required
- potatoes must be treated with a sprout inhibitor and export documentation must include the product used and date of application
- each shipment must have a Canada Food Inspection Agency certificate with an additional declaration
Poultry
Effective Sept. 18, 2026, APHIS imposed the following restrictions on the importation of avian commodities from Suriname due to highly-pathogenic avian influenza.
- importation of poultry, commercial birds, ratites, and avian hatching eggs is prohibited
- importation of unprocessed avian products and byproducts (including eggs and egg products, meat, and hunter-harvested, non-fully finished avian trophies) is prohibited with limited exceptions
- importation of fresh, unprocessed shell/table eggs and egg products, void of the shell (e.g., liquid eggs and dried egg whites) and arriving as cargo, is prohibited unless such goods are consigned from the port of arrival directly to an APHIS-approved breaking and pasteurization facility
- processed avian products and byproducts (including eggs and egg products), if arriving as cargo, must be accompanied by a VS import permit and/or government certification confirming that the items were treated in accordance with APHIS requirements
Cut Flowers
APHIS has issued a final rule that, effective Nov. 9, will remove the designation of chrysanthemum white rust as a quarantine pest and remove CWR-specific import restrictions on cut flowers.
Specifically, APHIS has determined that Chrysanthemum spp., Leucanthemella serotina, and Nipponanthemum nipponicum may be safely imported into the continental U.S. as cuttings and in vitro plantlets from the following countries under a systems approach: Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Germany, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
APHIS is also authorizing the importation of Chrysanthemum spp., Leucanthemella serotina, and Nipponanthemum nipponicum cuttings, in vitro plantlets, and plants with roots from Canada under a separate protocol.
European Union
The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service reports that on June 2, June 29, and Sept. 23 the European Commission authorized four genetically-engineered crops (three soybean, one maize) and renewed the authorization of three GE crops (two maize, one soybean) for food and animal feed. These authorizations apply to food and feed for import and processing (not cultivation) and are valid for ten years. All products will be subject to the EU's strict labeling and traceability rules.
Indonesia
According to FAS, Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Agency will require pre-shipment inspections for all halal products and those that must be labeled non-halal (e.g., pork and alcoholic beverages), effective for shipments with a bill of lading date after Oct. 17, 2026. USDA anticipates that all U.S. consumer-oriented products will be subject to these requirements except for fresh fruits and vegetables, which are exempt from halal certification requirements.
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