[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 39 (Wednesday, February 27, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13304-13305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-04475]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2012-0009]
Notice of Decision To Issue Permits for the Importation of
Strawberry Fruit From Egypt Into the Continental United States
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public of our decision to begin issuing
permits for the importation into the continental United States of fresh
strawberry fruit from Egypt. Based on the findings of a pest risk
analysis, which we made available to the public for review and comment
through a previous notice, we believe that the application of one or
more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate
the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds
via the importation of fresh strawberry fruit from Egypt.
DATES: Effective Date: February 27, 2013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Marc Phillips, Regulatory Policy
Specialist, Regulations, Permits, and Manuals, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River
Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-2114.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under the regulations in ``Subpart--Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR
319.56-1 through 319.56-58, referred to below as the regulations), the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture prohibits or restricts the importation of
fruits and vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the
world to prevent plant pests from being introduced into and spread
within the United States.
Section 319.56-4 of the regulations contains a performance-based
process for approving the importation of commodities that, based on the
findings of a pest risk analysis (PRA), can be safely imported subject
to one or more of the designated phytosanitary measures listed in
paragraph (b) of that section. Under that process, APHIS publishes a
notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the PRA
that evaluates the risks associated with the importation of a
particular fruit or vegetable. Following the close of the 60-day
comment period,
[[Page 13305]]
APHIS may begin issuing permits for importation of the fruit or
vegetable subject to the identified designated measures if: (1) No
comments were received on the PRA; (2) the comments on the PRA revealed
that no changes to the PRA were necessary; or (3) changes to the PRA
were made in response to public comments, but the changes did not
affect the overall conclusions of the analysis and the Administrator's
determination of risk.
In accordance with that process, we published a notice \1\ in the
Federal Register on April 16, 2012 (77 FR 22557-22558, Docket No.
APHIS-2012-0009), in which we announced the availability, for review
and comment, of a PRA that evaluates the risks associated with the
importation into the continental United States of fresh strawberry
(Fragaria spp.) fruit with calyx and short stalk from Egypt. We
solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending on June 15, 2012.
We received three comments by that date. They were from a State
department of agriculture, an agricultural research center, and a non-
profit industry representative.
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\1\ To view the notice, the PRA, and the comments we received,
go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0009.
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In the PRA, APHIS determined that three plant pests have a high
risk potential of being introduced into the United States via the
pathway of fresh strawberry fruit from Egypt. Those pests are:
Chrysodeixis chalcites, Eutetranychus orientalis, and Spodoptera
littoralis. The PRA notes that Eutetranychus orientalis could
potentially avoid detection beneath the calyx of the strawberries due
to its small size. One commenter cited this potential risk as a
phytosanitary concern. The commenter stated that they would be willing
to revisit this issue if current mitigation procedures are proven to be
effective and without any detections of this mite.
We acknowledge the risk that this plant pest could potentially
evade detection and be introduced into the United States in the manner
referred to by the commenter. However, while the pest itself may
potentially evade detection by its small size, its presence can be
detected by visible signs of discoloration and damage to fruits and
leaves. Additionally, good agricultural practices can effectively
suppress or eliminate this pest from fields or prevent infestation.
Successful control programs typically include monitoring, cultural,
biological, and chemical components, all of which are used as part of
Egypt's standard pre- and post-harvest practices for the production of
export strawberries. Moreover, APHIS has permitted the entry of
commercial strawberries from several countries in Asia, Europe, and
South America where this pest of concern occurs. Over several decades,
there has only been one interception of Eutetranychus orientalis in
strawberry consignments.
Another commenter stated that the PRA does not provide for adequate
phytosanitary security against any tetranychid mite.
In the risk assessment portion of the PRA, the only tetranychid
species identified as likely to follow the importation pathway was
Eutetranychus orientalis. For the reasons detailed above, we have
determined that the application of certain phytosanitary measures
coupled with standard industry practices will be adequate to mitigate
the risk posed by this pest. Other tetranychid species identified as
pests of fresh strawberry were: Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval),
Tetranychus ludeni Zacher, Tetranychus neocalendonicus Andr[eacute],
and Tetranychus urticae Koch, which are reported as being present in
Egypt, but do not meet the definition of quarantine pests, and
Tetranychus turkestani, which has been reported as being present in the
region, but APHIS did not find sufficient evidence the pest is present
in Egypt. The commenter did not discuss any particular species of
tetranychid which they believe to be of concern, nor did they present
evidence contradicting the information presented in the risk
assessment.
The third commenter recommended that we adopt specific
phytosanitary measures to address the pest risks discussed in the PRA.
APHIS has permitted the entry of commercial strawberries from
several countries in Asia, Europe, and South America with similar lists
of pests of concern (e.g., Jordan and Israel). Based on our knowledge
and experience in relation to importation of fresh strawberry fruit
from these countries with similar pest lists, we are confident of the
efficacy of the designated measures in mitigating the phytosanitary
risks posed by the importation of strawberry from Egypt.
Finally, the commenter added that we should intensively monitor
fresh strawberry from Egypt at the port of entry.
An integral part of standard APHIS phytosanitary practices is
inspection at the port of entry.
For these reasons, together with Egypt's use of integrated pest
management practices in the production of commercial strawberries,
APHIS has concluded that commercial strawberries for export from Egypt
are unlikely to contain the identified quarantine pests. Accordingly,
we have determined that no changes to the PRA are necessary based on
these comments.
Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in Sec. 319.56-
4(c)(2)(ii), we are announcing our decision to begin issuing permits
for the importation into the continental United States of fresh
strawberry fruit from Egypt subject to the following phytosanitary
measures:
The fresh strawberry fruit may be imported into the
continental United States in commercial consignments only;
Each consignment of fresh strawberry fruit must be
inspected by the national plant protection organization of Egypt and
accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate that includes an additional
declaration stating that the consignment was inspected and found free
of Chrysodeixis chalcites, Eutetrancychus orientalis, and Spodoptera
littoralis; and
The fresh strawberry fruit is subject to inspection upon
arrival at the U.S. port of entry.
These conditions will be listed in the Fruits and Vegetables Import
Requirements database (available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/favir).
In addition to these specific measures, fresh strawberry fruit from
Egypt will be subject to the general requirements listed in Sec.
319.56-3 that are applicable to the importation of all fruits and
vegetables.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701-7772, and 7781-7786; 21 U.S.C. 136
and 136a; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of February 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-04475 Filed 2-26-13; 8:45 am]
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