Final Rule: Mexican Hass Avocado Import Program (Docket # APHIS-2014-0088)

Commercial consignments of Hass avocado fruit are currently authorized entry into the continental United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico from the Mexican State of Michoacán under a systems approach to mitigate against quarantine pests of concern. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is amending the regulations to allow the importation of fresh Hass avocado fruit into the continental United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico from all of Mexico, provided individual Mexican States meet the requirements set out in the regulations and the operational workplan. Initially, this action would only apply to the Mexican State of Jalisco. With the exception of a clarification of the language concerning when sealed, insect-proof containers would be required to be used in shipping and the removal of mandatory fruit cutting at land and maritime borders, the current systems approach will not change. The current systems approach, which includes requirements for orchard certification, traceback labeling, pre-harvest orchard surveys, orchard sanitation, post-harvest safeguards, fruit cutting and inspection at the packinghouse, port-of-arrival inspection, and clearance activities, will be required for importation of fresh Hass avocado fruit from all approved areas of Mexico. The fruit will also be required to be imported in commercial consignments and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant protection organization of Mexico with an additional declaration stating that the consignment was produced in accordance with the systems approach described in the operational workplan. This final rule will allow for the importation of fresh Hass avocado fruit from Mexico while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of plant pests into the continental United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
This notice is available in English at: https://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0088-0042.
Federal Register/Vol. 81, No. 103/Friday, 27 May 2016/Pgs. 33581-33588.
On 18 February 2015, we published in the Federal Register (80 FR 8561-8564, Docket No. APHIS-2014-0088) a proposed rule to amend the regulations to allow fresh Hass avocado fruit to be imported from all of Mexico into the continental United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. APHIS solicited comments concerning our proposal for 60 days ending 20 April 2015. We received 34 comments by that date.