[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 247 (Friday, December 23, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 94217-94230]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31013]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
7 CFR Part 319
[Docket No. APHIS-2014-0092]
RIN 0579-AE17
Importation of Lemons From Northwest Argentina
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are amending the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow
the importation of lemons from northwest Argentina into the continental
United States. As a condition of entry, lemons from northwest Argentina
would have to be produced in accordance with a systems approach that
includes requirements for importation in commercial consignments;
registration and monitoring of places of production and packinghouses;
pest-free places of production; grove sanitation, monitoring, and pest
control practices; treatment with a surface disinfectant; lot
identification; and inspection for quarantine pests by the Argentine
national plant protection organization. Additionally, lemons from
northwest Argentina will have to be harvested green and within a
certain time period, or treated for Mediterranean fruit fly in
accordance with an approved treatment schedule. Lemons from northwest
Argentina will also be required to be accompanied by a phytosanitary
certificate with an additional declaration stating that the lemons have
been inspected and found to be free of quarantine pests and were
produced in accordance with the requirements. This action allows for
the importation of lemons from northwest Argentina into the United
States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction
of quarantine pests.
DATES: Effective January 23, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Juan A. (Tony) Rom[aacute]n,
Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit
133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-2242.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The regulations in ``Subpart-Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 319.56-
1 through 319.56-75, referred to below as the regulations) prohibit or
restrict the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United
States from certain parts of the world to prevent the introduction and
dissemination of plant pests within the United States.
On May 10, 2016, we published in the Federal Register (81 FR 28758,
Docket No. APHIS-2014-0092) a proposal \1\ to amend the regulations to
allow the importation of commercial consignments of fresh lemons from
northwest Argentina into the continental United States, subject to a
systems approach.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ To view the proposed rule and the comments we received, go
to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0092.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We solicited comments concerning our proposal for 60 days ending
July 11, 2016. We extended the deadline for comments until August 10,
2016, in a document published in the Federal Register on July 11, 2016
(81 FR 44801, Docket No. APHIS-2014-0092). We received 414 comments by
that date. They were from domestic and foreign citrus producers, State
and national organizations representing citrus producers, State
departments of agriculture, an organization of State plant pest
regulatory agencies, Argentina's national plant protection
organization, the Argentine embassy, lemon importers and wholesalers,
longshoremen, U.S. ports of entry, Senators, Representatives, an
Argentine organization devoted to citrus research, and private
citizens. Forty-seven commenters supported the rule as proposed.
Seventy-six commenters generally opposed the proposed rule but did not
address any specific provisions. The remaining commenters raised a
number of issues and concerns about the proposed rule. These comments
are discussed below by topic.
One commenter stated that the proposed rule failed to comply with
the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Specifically, the commenter stated that the proposed rule is a major
Federal action that significantly affects the human environment, as set
forth in 40 CFR 1508.18 and 1508.27, respectively, and that the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) should have prepared an
environmental impact statement or environmental assessment (EA). The
commenter further stated that none of the APHIS categorical exclusions
set forth in 7 CFR 1b.3 apply, therefore at a minimum, APHIS is
obligated to prepare an EA.
APHIS notes that the APHIS NEPA implementing regulations in 7 CFR
part 372 specify that additional routine measures used by APHIS are
categorically exempt from NEPA, in addition to those measures set forth
in 7 CFR 1b.3. The measures in this rule that will occur within the
United States fall within the scope of these additional routine
measures. Accordingly, a categorical exclusion was prepared.
We do not agree that the rule meets Council on Environmental
Quality requirements for a ``significant'' Federal action, and thus, by
definition, cannot be a ``major'' Federal action (a type of significant
action). The rule is not contextually significant from a policy
standpoint because it does not substantially alter existing policy
regarding market access requests, and has severity/intensity only if
one concedes that the mitigations specified in the rule are ineffective
in precluding the introduction of quarantine pests. We consider them
effective, for reasons discussed below.
One commenter stated that APHIS must take all available measures to
preclude introduction of invasive species into the United States.
APHIS agrees. Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et
seq.), we are responsible for regulating exports, imports, and
interstate commerce in agricultural products and other commodities that
pose a risk of harboring plant pests or noxious weeds in ways that are
based on sound science and that will reduce the risk of dissemination
of plant pests or noxious weeds. For this reason we prepared a pest
risk assessment (PRA) and assigned mitigations with a proven track
record in the risk management document (RMD).
One commenter noted that APHIS has also recently published proposed
rules to allow for the importation of citrus from South Africa (79 FR
51273, Docket No. APHIS-2014-0015) and Chile (81
[[Page 94218]]
FR 19063, Docket No. APHIS-2015-0051). The commenter stated that
because both of those proposals deal with a disease or pest of concern
which is also of concern in the Argentine proposal, APHIS should not
finalize this rulemaking until we have responded to the comments on the
other proposed rules.
We disagree with the commenter that the other rules must be
finalized before we can proceed with this rule. APHIS considers each of
its rulemakings as a distinct regulatory action. This is consistent
both with the language of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C.
551-559) and with case history regarding its implementation.
Site Visits
Many commenters stated that APHIS should conduct an additional site
visit before the rule is implemented. Many of those commenters also
stated that representatives of State governments and subject matter
experts should be involved in the site visit.
APHIS conducted an additional site visit to review the details of
the draft operational workplan in September of 2016. In addition to
APHIS personnel, a representative from the California Department of
Food and Agriculture and a former plant pathologist from the United
States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
participated in the site visit as observers. The site visit revealed
nothing that would require a revision of the PRA.
Some commenters stated that the site visit should include a
holistic review of Argentina's production system. Other commenters
stated that Argentina's traceability system provides holistic records
of their production system.
APHIS conducted a thorough review of Argentina's traceability
system. We looked at the requirements for growers signing up, initial
site visits of production sites, ongoing oversight during the growing
season, field and packinghouse inspection, approval for movement and
the final inspection for phytosanitary certificates. We also reviewed
the computer system they use, how users are added, who controls
movement and harvest approvals, and who issues phytosanitary
certificates. Based on that review, we consider Argentina's
traceability system to be robust, and we will use it for traceback as
necessary. However, as specified in the proposed rule, we also consider
it necessary to be able to identify lots of lemons through the export
process, from the place of production to arrival at the port of entry.
This establishes traceability beyond the scope of the Argentine
domestic traceability system.
One commenter stated that Argentina's traceability system will not
be able to trace detections of quarantine pests in U.S. orchards or
urban areas back to places of production.
APHIS is confident that if the mitigations in the rule are adhered
to, quarantine pests will not be introduced into United States orchards
or urban areas.
One commenter stated that Argentina's traceability system has
limited utility for citrus black spot (CBS), given its prolonged
latency period.
As we explained in the PRA, fruit is not a pathway for CBS.
One commenter stated that the site visit should specifically focus
on the infrastructure of the national plant protection organization
(NPPO) of Argentina. Another commenter stated that the site visit
should specifically focus on NPPO oversight of places of production.
The NPPO of Argentina is the Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad
Agroalimentaria (SENASA). During the September 2016 site visit, we
looked at SENASA's infrastructure and asked questions to address their
capacity to provide oversight. We remain confident that SENASA will be
able to adhere to the requirements of the systems approach.
Some commenters stated that the site visit should specifically
focus on identifying pest populations in or near production sites.
During the site visit, we asked questions about pest populations,
and we looked ourselves at fruit fly traps and at the citrus for signs
of pests. We did not discover anything that requires revisions to the
PRA.
One commenter stated that the site visit should specifically focus
on organic production sites.
APHIS did specifically ask about organic production. Argentina may
in the future ship organic fruit, but currently they do not. Current
packinghouse practices include chemical treatments that are not
organic, so any fruit that arrived from an organic production site
would lose its organic status during packinghouse processing.
We will ask SENASA about organic production in northwest Argentina,
as well as pest control guidelines they have developed for organic
producers. We note that there are provisions in the systems approach
that preclude the commingling of organic lemons and lemons for export
to the United States later in the production chain.
One commenter stated that the site visit should be conducted during
the summer months in Argentina.
The 2015 site visit occurred in June, during harvest season in
Argentina. For this reason, APHIS considered a second site visit during
the September/October timeframe to be sufficient.
One commenter stated that two additional site visits are needed.
Specifically, the commenter stated that after the September site visit,
a second fact-finding trip should be made to review the harvesting and
packing operations in Argentina. The commenter stated that a trip at
that time is needed since so many steps in the systems approach take
place during the harvesting and packing operations.
APHIS disagrees. As we explained above, the 2015 site visit
occurred in June, which is during the harvest season in Argentina. For
this reason, we do not consider two additional site visits to be
necessary.
Two commenters stated that industry stakeholders should be allowed
to consult with trip members on their findings.
APHIS prepared a site visit report outlining the findings of the
visit. The site visit report is available on the APHIS Web site at
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/import-information/proposal-import-lemons-argentina.
Many commenters expressed concern that the findings of the 2007
site visit are outdated.
The trip in 2007 was conducted by APHIS risk assessors to evaluate
pest complexes in Argentina in order to prepare the PRA. Information
from this trip served as a baseline primarily for the pest list in the
PRA. The PRA, as other commenters noted, has been continually updated
since this trip through means that APHIS routinely uses to update PRAs,
such as literature review and ongoing consultation with the NPPO of
Argentina. More specifically, the PRA was updated in 2014 after
publication of new research results on seed transmission of citrus
variegated chlorosis (CVC) in citrus. The PRA was also updated in 2014
in response to a new finding of citrus greening, also known as
Huanglongbing (HLB), in Argentina. The PRA was reviewed by APHIS
personnel at the same time to address comments from Argentina regarding
the pest list. Furthermore, APHIS conducted a site visit just last
year, in June of 2015, and the information gathered during that visit
was used to update the PRA before the proposed rule was published.
[[Page 94219]]
Two commenters stated that the 2015 site visit was not a technical
review of Argentina's program.
The commenters are mistaken. The 2015 site visit was a technical
review of Argentina's program.
Three commenters stated that APHIS did not provide enough
information to the public regarding the 2015 site visit to evaluate its
adequacy. Two commenters stated that APHIS' slow response to a Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA) request for documents regarding the 2015 site
visit is an indication of the inadequacy of the trip.
APHIS has received the FOIA request and is in the process of
responding to it. The time taken to respond to the FOIA request is
consistent with normal timeframes for such requests and not a
reflection of the adequacy of the trip.
One commenter stated that APHIS' willingness to conduct another
site visit is an indication of the inadequacy of the 2015 site visit.
Usually, APHIS conducts one site visit as close to the
implementation of a new systems approach as possible in order to aid in
development of the operational workplan. It was therefore entirely in
keeping with APHIS policy to conduct the September 2016 site visit
prior to implementing this final rule, and is not indicative of flaws
in the 2015 visit.
The 2015 site visit team included several APHIS risk managers who
have extensive experience in evaluating foreign production systems to
determine the ability of those systems to meet requisite mitigation
measures.
Pest Risk Assessment
One commenter stated that updated information appears to have been
incorporated into the PRA in a piecemeal fashion, without checking
whether any conclusions or assumptions were affected.
APHIS notes that we have updated the PRA several times. Appendix 1
of the PRA summarizes updates to the draft PRA in response to public
and peer review comments; Appendix 2 summarizes updates to the PRA made
between 2008 and 2015 in response to new scientific information. Any
time we incorporated new material into the PRA we reviewed the PRA to
check the conclusions.
One commenter stated that information provided by SENASA is
unreliable.
We disagree with the commenter. We have conducted two site visits
during which we have verified the information provided by SENASA. They
have also answered all the questions we have asked and provided all
information we have requested.
Two commenters stated that stakeholder comments on the PRA appear
to have been ignored.
APHIS posts PRAs and other documents for stakeholder review. As
noted on the Web site on which the documents are posted, while
stakeholder comments may result in changes to the PRA, as well as the
RMD and the rule, it is not APHIS policy to compile or post responses
to the comments received. This is because these documents are also made
available for review and comment along with the rules and notices that
propose to grant market access. Any comments that we receive on the
documents during that comment period are addressed in a final
regulatory action.
APHIS reviewed all of the comments that we received on the PRA and
RMD. Certain comments, such as statements agreeing that Brevipalpus
chilensis should be listed as a pest of lemons that is known to exist
in Argentina, or that green lemons should not be required to be treated
for Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), required no changes to the PRA or
RMD because the commenters' requests were already reflected in the PRA
or RMD. Other comments, such as a request to indicate whether the mites
B. californicus, B. obovatus, and B. phoenicis (Brevipalpus spp.) were
surface feeders, were incorporated into the PRA and RMD.
Other suggested revisions, such as revising the RMD to prohibit the
importation of lemons with leaves attached, would have made the rule
more stringent that our domestic requirements for the interstate
movement of citrus fruit from areas quarantined for pests and diseases
of citrus, and were not incorporated for that reason. Similarly, other
revisions would have made the PRA or RMD inconsistent with how other
APHIS documents discuss the same pest of concern or mitigation
structure.
Finally, certain comments, such as that the NPPO of Argentina could
not be trusted to abide by the systems approach, were reiterated during
the comment period and dismissed for reasons discussed below under the
heading ``Risk Management Document.''
One commenter stated that a footnote in the Executive Summary to
the PRA seems to define the term ``commercially produced,'' but in fact
only describes conditions of the fruit after harvest and processing.
The commenter stated that the term ``commercially produced'' should be
limited to conditions at places of production.
The term ``commercially produced'' is equivalent to ``commercial
consignments.'' It includes all aspects of the production system: The
manner in which the fruit was grown and harvested, the quality of the
fruit, the manner in which it is packaged, the quantities packaged, and
the requisite accompanying documentation.
One commenter stated that the PRA and proposed rule did not
identify pests of concern for Argentine lemons.
The pest list in the PRA identifies pests of lemons that are known
to exist in Argentina.
One commenter stated that four pathogens--Elsino[euml] australis,
Phyllosticta citricarpa, Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc), and
citrus leprosis virus--can all infect fruit and stay viable while on
the fruit, even though capacity for transmission from infected fruit
may be low. The commenter stated that the answer to the question ``Can
it follow the pathway?'' for all four pathogens should be changed to
``yes.''
APHIS notes that, while these could follow the pathway, the
capacity for introduction or transmission of disease is so
epidemiologically insignificant that further analysis was not
warranted.
One commenter stated that citrus leprosis virus should have been
selected for further analysis in the PRA as it is a quarantine pest
likely to follow the pathway.
Citrus leprosis virus is not systemic and cannot be transmitted
apart from viruliferous Brevipalpus spp. mites. It can follow the
pathway only if it is vectored by the mites. For this reason we do not
consider the virus to be a quarantine pest likely to follow the
pathway.
One commenter stated that the citation in the PRA to the APHIS
domestic fruit fly quarantine and regulations, which address Medfly was
outdated and have been replaced with 7 CFR 301.32. The commenter noted
that in the current regulations, only yellow lemons are regulated
articles for Medfly.
The commenter is correct; the citations were outdated. However,
this does not affect the conclusions of the PRA that green lemons are a
poor host for Medfly.
Several commenters stated that the pest risk associated with
importation of lemons is too high, and that the domestic citrus
industry would suffer as a result of pest introductions.
If the mitigations in the rule are adhered to, this pest risk will
be mitigated. Furthermore, some of these commenters appear to have
overestimated the likelihood of introduction associated with certain of
[[Page 94220]]
the pests. For example, Cryptoblabes gnidiella and Gymnandrosoma
aurantianum have never been intercepted in commercial shipments of
citrus from South America. Both are associated with poorly managed or
non-commercial citrus, like backyard fruit.
One commenter stated that B. chilensis should have been rated as
high risk in the PRA.
APHIS notes that B. chilensis was in fact rated as high risk in the
PRA.
One commenter stated that Brevipalpus spp. mites should all have
been rated ``High Risk.'' The commenter cited a scientific article on
Brevipalpus mites and the diseases they transmit \2\ in support of this
statement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Childers, C.C. and J.C.V. Rodrigues. 2011. An overview of
Brevipalpus mites (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) and the plant viruses they
transmit. Zoosymposia 6:180-192.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In that article, Childers and Rodrigues state that the only
confirmed vector of citrus leprosis in the Western Hemisphere is B.
phoenicis. The other mites are suspected to be vectors, but are not
known vectors. Given that we consider B. californicus, B. obovatus, and
B. phoenicis to be quarantine pests only insofar as they may vector
citrus leprosis virus, and there is some uncertainty regarding the
ability of B. californicus and B. obovatus to vector this disease, we
consider a medium risk rating to be appropriate. It is also consistent
with how we have rated these pests in other PRAs.
More importantly, a high risk rating would not have changed our
mitigations for the pests. Under APHIS policy, both medium risk and
high-risk pests are subject to pest-specific mitigations beyond port of
entry inspection, and the mitigations we prescribed to address
Brevipalpus spp. are based on the possibility that they may vector
citrus leprosis virus, rather than the risk rating ascribed to the
pests.
One commenter stated that the overall risk rating should have been
higher.
As we explained above, a higher overall risk rating would not have
changed the mitigation structure.
One commenter asked why, if ``not be detected at the port of
entry'' did not impact risk ratings, port of entry inspection is a
component of the systems approach.
``Not be detected at the port of entry'' was removed as a criterion
in the PRA because APHIS does not have enough information about
relative likelihood of detection at the port of entry to be able to
weight this criterion relative to other elements. As a result, this
criterion could not substantially impact the risk ratings.
This does not imply that port of entry inspections are an
ineffective component of a systems approach. Port of entry inspections
by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are, in fact, capable of
detecting quarantine pests and are a significant mitigation against
pests entering the United States. For example, in December 2015, CBP
detections of Medfly larvae on Spanish tomatoes and Moroccan citrus led
us to suspend market access for those commodities, pending
investigations.
One commenter asked why, if fruit is not an ``epidemiologically
significant'' pathway for E. australis, P. citricarpa, and Xcc, the PRA
says ``additional specified risk management options may be required.''
While we do not consider fruit to be an epidemiologically
significant pathway for these pests, the pests are subject to domestic
quarantines within the United States. For the sake of consistency with
domestic regulations regarding the interstate movement of fruit from
areas quarantined for CBS, sweet orange scab, and Xcc, we would require
fruit to be washed, brushed, waxed, and surface disinfected. It is
worth noting that such washing, brushing, waxing, and disinfecting are
standard packinghouse procedures both domestically and internationally.
Likelihood and Consequences of Establishment
Several commenters stated that citrus-producing areas are
particularly at risk for establishment of quarantine pests that could
follow the pathway.
Incorporating information regarding likelihood of establishment
would not have affected the pest risk ratings or the risk mitigation
structure. As we explained above, both medium and high-risk pests are
subject to pest-specific mitigations beyond standard port-of-entry
inspection.
One commenter stated that the PRA does not acknowledge that
backyard citrus in California is in proximity to ports of entry. Other
commenters stated that the PRA does not recognize that most quarantine
pest introductions first occur in urban areas, and are undetected.
Three commenters stated that urban areas in Texas and California abut
production areas and expressed concern that pests could become
established in urban areas with backyard citrus and then spread into
production areas.
As we noted above, incorporating this information into the PRA
would not have affected either the pest risk ratings or the risk
mitigation structure.
One commenter stated that Climate-Host interaction for Brevipalpus
spp. should have been rated ``high.'' The commenter cited a 2012
reference in the Ninth Report of the International Committee of
Taxonomy of Viruses \3\ that said that citrus leprosis virus was
transmitted to several other experimental hosts from other genera
including Phaseolus vulgaris in support of this statement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ ``Virus taxonomy: classification and nomenclature of
viruses: Ninth Report of the International Committee on Taxonomy of
Viruses.'' (2012) Ed: King, A.M.Q., Adams, M.J., Carstens, E.B. and
Lefkowitz, E.J. San Diego: Elsevier Academic Press.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is no mention in the report of whether the conditions under
which transmission to P. vulgaris occurred could be reduplicated
outside of laboratory conditions. The sentence the commenter is
referring to is immediately preceded by a sentence referring to
mechanically administering inoculum to induce symptoms in articles
previously considered non-hosts. This, coupled with the use of
``experimental'' to describe inoculation of P. vulgaris, suggests the
study was not intended to reduplicate actual ``field'' conditions.
In the PRA, we identified the dispersal potential of B. chilensis
as ``medium'' and of Brevipalpus spp. as ``high.'' One commenter stated
that the dispersal potential for both B. chilensis and Brevipalpus spp.
should be high.
The commenter is correct that the dispersal potential for both B.
chilensis and Brevipalpus spp. should be the same; however, we disagree
that the rating for both should be high. Based on the work of Childers
and Rodrigues, the dispersal potential for both should be medium. Both
B. chilensis and Brevipalpus spp. are very unlikely to move from one
orchard tree to another. They both tend to aggregate, they move
downwind slowly, and they do not balloon--that is, they do not produce
streamers of silk and travel with wind currents for longer distances.
One commenter stated that the environmental impact potential for
Brevipalpus spp. is low, but the introduction of this pest infected
with citrus leprosis virus would stimulate the use of chemical control.
The commenter stated that the risk rating should therefore be changed
to medium. The same commenter also stated that consequences of
introduction for Brevipalpus spp. should have been considered high.
We consider the ratings given to Brevipalpus spp. to be accurate.
Under standard commercial packinghouse procedures, the mites would be
washed or brushed off, even in the absence of required mitigations.
Furthermore, citrus leprosis virus is not a systemic
[[Page 94221]]
infection, and mites do not feed on harvested fruit unless doing so is
absolutely necessary for survival.
Accordingly, for a non-viruliferous Brevipalpus mite in the United
States to become a vector of citrus leprosis virus, the infected
portions of the fruit would have to have abnormally high levels of
inoculum, the mite would have to be on infested fruit, and the mite
would have to specifically consume the infected portions of the fruit,
climb up a tree, and infect the tree.
Since citrus leprosis virus inoculum is not shed to offspring, this
would also have to occur during the infected mite's lifetime. We
consider the probability of this occurring to be extremely remote.
One commenter stated that the likelihood of introduction for Medfly
should have considered lemons a conditional host, rather than a
conditional non-host.
The designation of lemons as a conditional non-host of Medfly was
based on research published by ARS scientists \4\ that examined the
host status of immature lemons.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Spitler, G.H., J.W. Amstrong, and H.M. Couey. 1984.
Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) host status of
commercial lemon. Journal of Economic Entomology 77(6):1441-1444.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
One commenter stated that the PRA did not consider introduction via
smuggling or diversion. The commenter expressed concern that the fruit
could be carried to a home while vectoring a pest or disease.
The PRA addressed the plant pest risk associated with the
importation of commercially produced and commercially packed fresh
lemon fruit from northwest Argentina into the United States. Fruit that
is not commercially grown or packed are outside the scope of the risk
assessment.
Risk Management Document
One commenter stated that the RMD requirements are inadequate to
eliminate the risk of introduction of the quarantine pests identified
in the PRA, but did not provide the basis for their concern.
Some commenters stated that the RMD and rule contain safeguards to
address plant pest risk, and one commenter stated that similar systems
approaches for citrus from other countries have proven effective. One
commenter, however, stated that there are no similar systems approaches
because no other growing area harbors this combination of pests and
diseases of citrus, but is still asking to market fresh fruit.
APHIS notes that the PRA for citrus from Uruguay had a very similar
quarantine pest list--they did not have B. chilensis or Brevipalpus
spp., but had all other quarantine pests identified in the Argentine
citrus PRA. Accordingly, many provisions of the Argentine lemons
systems approach were modeled on the Uruguay citrus systems approach,
which has been in place for 3\1/2\ years now without incident.
Furthermore, the Brevipalpus-specific provisions are not new, and have
been tested for several different commodities in other countries.
Five commenters expressed concern that Argentina cannot be trusted
to abide by mitigations in the RMD and rule. Some of these commenters
cited incidents that they believed showed Argentina handling sanitary
or phytosanitary issues in deceptive ways. One commenter stated that,
as a result of the history of SENASA, APHIS needs to exercise continual
monitoring and oversight over the program.
Argentina is a World Trade Organization member country and
signatory on the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and
Phytosanitary Measures (SPS agreement). As such, it has agreed to
respect the phytosanitary measures the United States imposes on the
importation of plants and plant products from Argentina when the United
States demonstrates the need to impose these measures in order to
protect plant health within the United States. The PRA that accompanied
the proposed rule provided evidence of such a need. Argentina has
demonstrated the ability to comply with U.S. regulations with respect
to other export programs.
We disagree with several of the examples cited as recent
prevarication by SENASA. APHIS became aware of the presence of A.
fraterculus in blueberries in Argentina because of a scientific paper
published by Argentina. The disagreement between APHIS and SENASA
regarding the presence of B. chilensis in Argentina was based on
differing opinions regarding whether the pest detected had been
identified properly. As such, it indicated a difference of scientific
opinion, rather than an act of deception.
That said, the 2015 site visit specifically evaluated SENASA's
oversight of the Argentine production system for lemons to determine
whether the provisions of the systems approach could be implemented and
maintained.
Finally, as provided in paragraph (a) of the proposed rule, APHIS
would be directly involved in monitoring and auditing implementation of
the systems approach in Argentina. A determination that the systems
approach had not been fully implemented or maintained would result in
remedial actions, including possible suspension of the export program
for Argentine lemons.
One commenter expressed concern that the United States Department
of Agriculture (USDA) cannot be trusted to abide by mitigations in the
RMD and rule. The commenter referred to a scandal at Hunts Point
Terminal Produce Market in the Bronx, NY, as an example of USDA
personnel accepting bribes and kickbacks. The commenter stated that
even if such events are not commonplace, they still must be factored
into the risk assessment.
The bribery and kickback scheme referenced by the commenter was
revealed in 1999 after a 3-year investigation by the USDA Inspector
General and involved Agriculture Marketing Service personnel, who have
no role in the implementation of this rule.
One commenter asked why, if the mitigations in the RMD are
effective, the PRA discusses likelihood and consequences of
introduction.
The PRA follows our guidelines for PRAs. As such, it discusses the
likelihood and consequences of quarantine pests that could follow the
pathway on lemons from northwest Argentina to the United States, in the
absence of any mitigations. This assessment is a necessary aspect of
our evaluation of the risk rating for the pests.
The RMD lists the mitigations that will be applied to prevent pests
from following the pathway and being introduced.
Three commenters stated that European Union (EU) detections of CBS
on fruit from Argentina indicate the inability of Argentina to follow a
systems approach.
We disagree with the EU regarding the transmissibility of CBS via
commercially produced fruit. The point of these statements in the PRA
and RMD was to point out that Argentina has been able to implement and
abide by a systems approach for lemons that rests on SENASA having the
wherewithal to meet phytosanitary requirements. We note that the RMD
stated that Argentina proposed the EU systems approach to us in its
entirety as a mitigation structure, and that we rejected adopting it
outright. Furthermore, the systems approach for Argentine citrus to the
EU is the same systems approach applicable to U.S. citrus to the EU,
indicating they consider us equivalent in terms of ability to adhere to
phytosanitary requirements.
[[Page 94222]]
It is also worth noting that the EU audit \5\ attributed the
detections to a lack of traceability of individual lots of fruit to the
production units in places of production, to some packinghouses
commingling lemons destined for export with other fruit, and to some
producers not applying pest controls for CBS. These mitigations, which
were added to the EU directive following the detections, are all
aspects of our systems approach. Our systems approach is, in short,
more stringent than the EU directive was prior to the CBS detections.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ The audit is available online at ec.europa.eu/food/audits-
analysis/act_getPDF.cfm?PDF_ID=12522.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
One commenter stated that there is no evidence the EU systems
approach for lemons from Argentina is equivalent to the systems
approach proposed by APHIS.
The two systems approaches are not equivalent, and we did not
suggest they were. Rather, we made reference to the EU systems approach
to illustrate that Argentina has the capacity to adhere to a stringent
systems approach, so that it is plausible that they could adhere to our
systems approach as well. We state in the RMD that Argentina proposed
that we simply adopt the EU systems approach, and we rejected that
proposal.
One commenter stated that, because of proximity of ports of entry
to urban areas, and urban areas to citrus production in the United
States, any lapses from systems approach will have dire consequences.
The commenter seems to be assuming that, if infested or infected
fruit is shipped to the United States, it will not be detected at a
port of entry inspection, and will necessarily result in the
introduction of quarantine pests into the United States. This
assumption is, in essence, that port of entry inspections are
ineffective at detecting plant pests. We disagree with this assumption;
port of entry inspections are an effective mitigation and have
precluded two potential introductions of Medfly in the last year alone.
One commenter stated that there is no definition or list of
criteria for pests of ``quarantine significance'' in either the PRA or
RMD. The commenter asked what the criteria are for determining what
pests are of quarantine significance.
The PRA, RMD, and rule use the terms ``quarantine significance''
and ``quarantine pest'' interchangeably. In Sec. 319.56-2 of the
regulations, we define a quarantine pest as ``[a] pest of potential
economic significance to the area endangered by it and not yet present
there, or present but not widely distributed there and being officially
controlled.''
One commenter noted that the RMD says 9 pests of quarantine
significance were identified, but the PRA lists 10. The commenter asked
for an explanation of this apparent discrepancy.
The PRA acknowledges that CBS could follow the pathway, and is a
quarantine pest, but then cites the 2010 PRA, which determined that,
even in the absence of packinghouse procedures, fruit is an
``epidemiologically insignificant'' pathway for CBS, and the conditions
that would allow for transmission from fruit are nearly impossible to
occur, even in the absence of standard packinghouse procedures. The RMD
looked at commercially produced fruit, that is, fruit subject to
packinghouse procedures and standard industry practices. This led us to
drop CBS from the list of quarantine pests.
One commenter noted that in section 1 of the RMD, guidelines for
growers participating in the program are mentioned as needing to be
followed. The commenter asked what these guidelines are.
In the RMD, we explain that these are pest control guidelines that
a place of production may need to meet in order to qualify for
registration with SENASA.
One commenter asked if the operational workplan will contain only
SENASA's requirements.
Generally, the operational workplan pertains to APHIS, the NPPO of
the exporting region, and growers, packinghouses, and persons
commercially involved in chain of production. It contains details that
are necessary for day-to-day operations needed to carry out provisions
of the rule and RMD. This one will be no different.
One commenter asked what SENASA's requirements are under the
operational workplan.
SENASA's requirements include everything specified within the RMD:
Registration; regular inspections; pest control guidelines; and
inspections to determine that treatment guidelines are being adhered
to.
Additionally, Argentina has place of production requirements apart
from APHIS' requirements that pertain to all citrus groves in the
country. These include sanitary guidelines that are developed in
consultation with Argentine subject matter experts and address
regulated nonquarantine pest populations that could affect
marketability of the citrus.
One commenter noted that the RMD specifies that SENASA must ensure
that growers are following the ``export protocols.'' The commenter
asked what those protocols are, and stated that they should be made
available for public review and comment.
The protocols are conditions for export established by APHIS in the
operational workplan. The RMD and the regulatory requirements derived
from it include a general description of all the phytosanitary measures
necessary to mitigate pest risk. The operational workplan specifies
details that are necessary for day-to-day operations needed to carry
out provisions of the rule and RMD. Operational workplans are available
to the public upon request only after a rule has been finalized and the
operational workplan has been signed by APHIS and the NPPO of the
exporting country. With respect to consulting with stakeholders, APHIS
typically conducts outreach and consultation during the risk assessment
and management phases.
One commenter stated that section 16 of the RMD should specify that
fruit fly detections must fall below a threshold before a registered
place of production can resume shipping.
Immature lemons are a poor host of Medfly. Because of this,
prevalence levels at a place of production are not germane to whether
Medfly are more likely to follow the pathway on immature Argentine
lemons, and it would be incommensurate with risk to cut off a place of
production based on Medfly detections.
This policy is consistent with our existing importation
requirements for lemons from other countries that have Medfly. We have
no reason to believe these existing requirements have been ineffective.
One commenter stated that places of production should be suspended
if B. chilensis is found on the lemons during NPPO inspections.
In the RMD, we said place of production ``may be suspended'' and
are ``subject to suspension'' out of recognition that the investigation
could determine that the fruit was clean when it left the orchard, and
the pest was introduced later in the production chain.
Two commenters noted that the rule doesn't contain mitigations for
CVC and its vectors. The commenters expressed concern that potential
vectors could transmit CVC if they were allowed to hitchhike on
exports.
Glassy-winged sharpshooters are the vector of concern for CVC. They
are the subject of consistent surveys and are not in northwest
Argentina. Were they to
[[Page 94223]]
spread into northwest Argentina, the sharpshooters would be removed by
washing and brushing and standard packinghouse procedures.
Additionally, as external feeders, they are easy to detect during
phytosanitary inspections and/or port of entry inspections. Finally,
CVC cannot follow the pathway of lemons in the absence of a vector.
One commenter noted that the RMD concludes that seeds are unable to
transmit CVC directly. The commenter stated that this directly
contradicts the regulations in 7 CFR 319.37-2, which consider CVC to be
seed-transmitted.
A Federal Order published on May 19, 2016, relieved restrictions on
citrus seed for CVC. The Federal Order is available on the APHIS Web
site at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/federal_order/downloads/2016/2016-31.pdf. A rule codifying this Federal
Order is in development. The citrus seed pest list prepared in November
2015 is referenced in this Federal Order. The pest list contains our
current thinking about the transmissibility of CVC and other citrus
diseases via seed.
Four commenters expressed concern that the rule does not contain
mitigations for HLB.
APHIS has examined whether fruit is a pathway for HLB, and
determined that HLB is not transmitted via fruit. Therefore,
mitigations for HLB are not necessary.
One commenter stated that APHIS should not trust SENASA on the
scope of the HLB outbreak in Argentina.
Neither the severity of the HLB outbreak in Argentina, nor its
distribution, affect whether HLB-specific mitigations need to be
included in the rule. As we explained above, HLB is not transmitted via
fruit.
The same commenter stated that APHIS should not trust SENASA on
distribution of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), a vector of HLB, in
Argentina.
The distribution of ACP in Argentina is not necessary for us to
evaluate the risk of it following the pathway via the importation of
lemons. As documented in the PRA, standard packinghouse procedures will
remove ACP from the fruit. Only commercially produced fruit, which is
subject to such procedures and will therefore be free of ACP, can be
exported to the United States.
One commenter stated that the PRA should include information about
distribution of HLB in Argentina.
APHIS does not consider this information to be necessary, given
that HLB is not transmitted via fruit.
One commenter expressed several concerns about CBS. The commenter
stated that CBS is impossible to eradicate once introduced, that it can
have a lengthy latency period, and that trees infected with CBS are
unmarketable.
APHIS notes that we never questioned the quarantine significance of
CBS, just its ability to become established via fruit.
One commenter stated that justifications in the PRA for why CBS
will not follow the pathway are not accurate. The commenter stated that
the PRA assumes farmers in Argentina all farm in the same intensive
manner.
The commenter is mistaken. In the systems approach for Argentina
lemons, we have incorporated the same mitigations for CBS for that we
are using for Florida citrus. These mitigations are based on a separate
scientific review, which can be viewed on the APHIS Web site at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/citrus/downloads/black_spot/cbs-risk-assessment.pdf.
Several commenters stated that APHIS erred in determining that CBS
cannot follow the pathway on fruit. Another commenter expressed concern
that CBS could become established in Southern California if infected
fruit arrived at and were distributed through the Port of Long Beach.
Both Paul et al.\6\ and Magarey and Holtz \7\ ran infection models
which found California's climate, including that of Southern
California, unsuitable for establishment of CBS. While isolated
microclimates in Southern California could result in small pockets of
CBS infection, the overall climatic conditions are unsuitable to
establishment and spread.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ Paul, I., van Jaarsveld, A.S., Korsten, L., & Hattingh, V.
(2005). The potential global geographical distribution of citrus
black spot caused by Guignardia citricarpa Kiely: likelihood of
disease establishment in the European Union. Crop Protection, 24,
297-308.
\7\ Magarey, R., Chanelli, S., & Holtz T. (2011). Validation
study and risk assessment: Guignardia citricarpa, (citrus black
spot). USDA-APHIS-PPQ-CPHST-PERAL/NCSU.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
One commenter stated that APHIS did not take into account either
the reality of the residential yards in Southern California, or the
numerous interceptions of Argentine citrus for CBS symptoms in
shipments to the EU in the years since 2010.
These two facts do not affect the conclusion on the 2010 PRA that
the establishment of the disease via the movement of fruit requires a
combination of biological and climatic conditions that are unlikely to
occur.
One commenter stated that the spread of CBS in Florida could be
indicative of errors in the 2010 PRA.
The PRA found Florida's environment to be conducive to the spread
of CBS, and examined only transmission via fruit. The spread of CBS
within Florida could have occurred through a pathway other than fruit,
and is not in itself indicative of errors in the 2010 PRA.
One commenter stated that the EU Food Safety Commission in 2014
issued a scientific opinion which deemed the risk of entry of the
causal agent of CBS as moderately likely for citrus fruit without
leaves.
APHIS notes that the proposed conditions for importation of lemons
from northwest Argentina are the same as the conditions we apply to
export citrus from the United States. We also note that the causal
organism of CBS has two life cycle stages: A sexual stage represented
by the ascospores of Guignardia citricarpa Kiely and an asexual stage
represented by the pycnidiospores of P. citricarpa (McAlpine). These
two stages are produced at different times, under different
environmental conditions, at different locations on the plant and
result in different epidemiological dynamics. The sexual stage of the
disease may be found in plants and leaves; the asexual stage of the
disease is found on fruit. The correlation between ascospore discharge
and infection onset showed that pycnidiospores, the asexual stage, do
not play a significant role in the disease cycle. For this reason fruit
is not considered to be a pathway for CBS.
Several commenters asked how, if we do not know how CBS got into
Florida, we know it cannot follow the pathway on fruit.
The PRA examined the biological and climatic conditions necessary
for establishment of CBS through infected fruit, and determined that
``the establishment of the disease via this pathway [the movement of
fruit] requires a combination of biological and climatic conditions
that are unlikely to occur.'' It is important to acknowledge, as the EU
scientific opinion did, that there are many possible pathways for the
introduction of CBS, with some (such as smuggling of nursery stock)
significantly more likely to result in establishment.
One commenter asked what circumstances would compel APHIS to
require further mitigations for CBS in Argentina's packinghouses, and
what mitigation steps it would be willing to institute in those
circumstances.
We have considered the risk of CBS and how to mitigate it. Standard
packinghouse procedures, including washing, brushing, disinfecting,
treating, and waxing, address that risk
[[Page 94224]]
effectively. Under the circumstances, we do not believe further
mitigations are needed.
One commenter stated that the rule should restrict exports to areas
of northwest Argentina that are free of CBS.
For the reasons discussed above, we do not consider this necessary.
Comments on Specific Provisions of the Proposed Rule
One commenter asked why the Provinces of Catamarca and Jujuy were
included in the rule when they are not major lemon-producing regions.
As we explained in the proposed rule, SENASA asked for market
access for these provinces. We therefore included them in the PRA and
found that lemons could be safely exported from these provinces subject
to the conditions described in the proposed rule.
One commenter stated that Brevipalpus spp. should not be listed as
quarantine pests, but that citrus leprosis virus should be listed as a
quarantine pest.
Citrus leprosis virus is not systemic. It could not be introduced
into the United States, unless vectored by Brevipalpus spp. mites. For
this reason we consider the mites to be quarantine pests.
One commenter stated that the details of the operational workplan
need to be included in the regulations or otherwise made publicly
available.
As we explained above, the mitigations in the operational workplan
are the same as in the RMD and the rule. The operational workplan
specifies details for day-to-day operations that are needed to carry
out provisions of the rule and the RMD. As a result, operational
workplans are living documents that change periodically to reflect new
technologies and operational realities in the field.
One commenter asked what constitutes ``direct involvement'' in
implementation and monitoring of the operational workplan.
The operational workplan provides APHIS with the standard operating
procedures that the NPPO, places of production, packinghouses, and
others involved in the production of the fruit will follow as part of
the export program. Our oversight will include routine reviews and
inspections of the program, but not continual oversight. That would be
tantamount to mandatory preclearance program, which we do not consider
necessary. The frequency with which we conduct site visits and review
export program records will increase if any pest concerns are
identified.
One commenter stated that a trust fund agreement to pay for APHIS
personnel may be necessary.
A trust fund agreement is associated with preclearance programs in
which there is continual APHIS oversight, which we do not consider
warranted here.
One commenter stated that registration requirements should extend
to contiguous orchards to mitigate the chance of contamination of the
place of production during harvest after the initial freedom
certification.
APHIS does not consider this to be necessary. As discussed above,
the Brevipalpus spp. mites that exist in Argentina do not balloon--that
is they do not produce streamers of silk and travel with wind currents
for longer distances--and have limited mobility. It is unlikely that
they could infest contiguous orchards after the initial freedom
certification.
One commenter stated that registering small places of production
may increase pest risk.
We disagree that small places of production may represent a higher
pest risk than large ones. In order to be registered with the NPPO and
participate in the export program, the NPPO (and, as warranted, APHIS)
must determine that the place of production or packinghouse is able to
adhere to the systems approach. This is true regardless of the size of
the place of production or packinghouse. Routine inspections by the
NPPO, and the possibility of monitoring by APHIS, will corroborate
ongoing maintenance of systems approach provisions at registered places
of production and packinghouses.
We proposed to require lemons from Argentina to be harvested green
and within the time period of April 1 and August 31. If the lemons are
harvested yellow or harvested outside of that time period, they would
have to be treated for Medfly in accordance with 7 CFR part 305 and the
operational workplan. Two commenters asked how we would determine
whether a lemon was green or not.
In the ARS study that determined that lemons are a conditional non-
host of Medfly, the term ``yellow'' was used interchangeably with
``mature.'' Immature lemons were considered to be a poor host. For
purposes of the systems approach, we consider any lemon that is not
green as ripe enough to require cold treatment. We are using additional
ARS research \8\ and a market standard on lemon color to determine if
lemons are green.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ Jang, E.B., R.L. Mangan, D.M. Obenland, M.L. Arpaia, and R.
Rice. (undated). Defining Host Status of California Grown Lemons to
Fruit Fly Infestation (PowerPoint Presentation). USDA-Agricultural
Research Service and University of California. 8 pp.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two commenters asked who will determine whether a lemon is green or
yellow. One commenter asked where this determination will be made. That
commenter also stated that APHIS employees should make the
determination.
In Argentina, lemons are evaluated for color and graded as part of
packinghouse procedures. The determination for color and grade is made
by graders employed by SENASA.
One commenter stated that the finding that green fruit is harvested
from March to May in Argentina appears to be based on 2007 information,
which is outdated.
When green fruit is harvested in Argentina is irrelevant to the
conclusions of the PRA. As we explained in the proposed rule, lemons
that are harvested yellow would have to be treated for Medfly,
regardless of the time of year in which they are harvested.
One commenter stated that the RMD and rule should be consistent
with regard to when lemons do not need treatment.
The commenter seems to believe that there is a discrepancy between
the RMD and the proposed rule because the requirement is phrased
slightly differently, but this is not the case. Both the proposed rule
and the RMD specify that a lemon must be green and shipped within the
April-August window in order to avoid treatment.
One commenter expressed concern that the use of the term
``safeguarded'' in Sec. 319.56-76(a)(8) is too vague. The commenter
stated that the words ``and protected from fruit fly infestation''
should be inserted after the word ``safeguarded'' in that paragraph.
APHIS disagrees that this addition is necessary. We use the term
``safeguarded'' throughout the regulations to mean that fruit must be
protected from infestation, or, in the case of treated fruit,
reinfestation, by quarantine pests.
One commenter asked whether trucks and workers would be sanitized
in between uses for U.S. exports and other uses, and if not, why not.
Packinghouse workers are required to wash their hands and wear
clean protective clothing every time they enter the packinghouse. The
fruit never touches the trucks; it is harvested and brought to the
packinghouse in bins that are disinfected after each use. Fruit for
[[Page 94225]]
export is shipped in clean new boxes. Old shipping boxes are never
reused.
Several commenters asked how APHIS will determine pest-free places
of production for B. chilensis, given that Argentine production for
fresh consumption and processing is intermixed.
While B. chilensis exists in Argentina, there is no evidence that
it exists in northwest Argentina. This is based on extensive and
ongoing documentation SENASA has provided to APHIS. Due to the absence
of B. chilensis in northwest Argentina, the intermixing of fresh and
processed production sites in that area does not have a bearing on
whether a site is pest-free for B. chilensis.
It is worth noting that we have no evidence that Argentine
producers designate specific sites for fresh or processed production
and use different production practices based on the intended use of the
lemons. Rather, as a result of grading during packinghouse inspections,
highly graded lots are designated for the fresh market, while the rest
of the fruit goes to processing and other uses.
That being said, the rule specifies that APHIS will monitor
implementation of the systems approach. This includes monitoring the
distribution of B. chilensis in Argentina. If the distribution changes,
we note that there are still several safeguards that would address the
commenter's concern. First, the place of production must be inspected
regularly by the NPPO of Argentina; these inspections would include
inspections for B. chilensis. Second, the place of production must
adhere to any pest control or management practices specified by APHIS
and/or SENASA. An orchard that was in an area in which B. chilensis is
known to occur, and in proximity to an orchard not participating in the
export program, would be subject to management practices to address
this risk. Finally, registration of places of production allows for
traceback and quick remediation if infested fruit is discovered later
in the production chain.
One commenter stated that APHIS should ask SENASA to prepare a
grid-type schematic that shows the location of processed orchards as
compared with orchards where fruit is grown for the fresh export
market. The commenter stated that this analysis is essential, and that
if SENASA will not prepare it, then APHIS should prepare it.
The grid suggested by the commenter is not possible. Orchards in
Argentina are not designated for a particular type of production.
Rather, as we explained above, lots are designated based on grading
conducted in packinghouses.
Two commenters stated that the biometric sampling protocol for B.
chilensis is insufficient.
APHIS disagrees. Mites have limited mobility. The commenters are
referring to the fact that some species of mites are known to travel
longer distances by ballooning, where the mites produce streamers of
silk and travel with wind currents for longer distances. According to
Childers and Rodrigues (2011), Brevipalpus mites do not produce silk
and therefore are not capable of ballooning. Childers and Rodrigues
indicate there is some evidence that these mites can blow from heavily
infested plants downwind to nearby plants. They do not present evidence
of long distance movement of Brevipalpus mites by the wind.
B. chilensis mites in Argentina are associated with the wine grape
industry in the state of Mendoza (approximately 1,000 miles south of
the region where lemons are produced). They are not present in
Tucum[aacute]n where most of the export lemons in Argentina are grown,
nor, again, is there any evidence of their presence in the whole
northwestern region.
The systems approach for B. chilensis is based on the pest's
limited mobility. This systems approach has similarly been used in
Chile for citrus for many years without interceptions of this mite in
commercial shipments. In addition to the place of production
inspection, every shipment of lemons to be exported will also be
inspected for mites with the same wash technique. If mites are found on
any shipment, that place of production will be removed for the rest of
the export season.
One commenter stated that APHIS only described the B. chilensis
protocol, without providing evidence of its adequacy. The commenter
further stated that the lack of interceptions of the mite on fruit that
has entered the United States from Chile is not sufficient evidence for
the effectiveness of the protocol. Another commenter stated that there
is no literature of evidence that suggests the protocol is effective.
APHIS disagrees. Mites and other small organisms have been studied
by collecting them from their habitat through sieves that concentrate
them. Southwood and Henderson in their classic textbook Ecological
Methods \9\ devote chapters to this method of sampling.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ Southwood, T.R.E., & Henderson, P.A. (2009). Ecological
Methods. John Wiley & Sons.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This method of sampling has been used since the 18th century; use
of Berlese funnels and sieves is ubiquitous in sampling mites and other
small organisms in various habitats. The agricultural quarantine and
inspection data that APHIS collects routinely suggests that this
method, which has been used for almost 20 years by APHIS as a
mitigation measure, has been very effective in detecting B. chilensis
mites on fruit from Chile.
One commenter stated that it is impossible to know whether 100
samples is sufficient without knowing the size of places of production.
Regardless of the size of the orchard, 100 samples provides 95
percent confidence of a 3 percent infestation rate. This confidence
level is sufficient given that B. chilensis is not known to exist
within 1,000 miles of northwest Argentina and, biologically, tends to
aggregate once established. APHIS believes that the overlapping
protections of routine visual inspections, NPPO surveying for B.
chilensis spread, and the biometric protocol provide a sufficient
degree of phytosanitary protection.
One commenter stated that the B. chilensis biometric sampling
protocol is not based on the biology of B. chilensis. The commenter
stated that other species of Brevipalpus are known to have particular
habitat preferences within a tree, such as the most shaded, humid areas
(Childers & Rodrigues 2011). The commenter stated that if something
like this is the case for B. chilensis, then a targeted survey, rather
than biometric survey of the place of production, is needed to
determine prevalence.
APHIS disagrees. Mites, including B. chilensis, reproduce and build
up populations in a small area because of their limited dispersal
capability. The sampling distribution is based on the premise that if
one mite is found, there is a high probability that another mite is
nearby. This is called an aggregated distribution. This probability
distribution (or variation), is called hypergeometric, or negative
binomial, and can be used to model the distribution of most insects and
mites.
Very few insects and mites do not have aggregated distributions,
and there is no evidence that B. chilensis does not have aggregated
distributions. The production site survey is a targeted survey; the
samples are taken from the leaves which is where the mite populations
are highest. We note, moreover, that this survey is presently strictly
precautionary. There is no evidence of B. chilensis in northwest
Argentina.
Two commenters stated that biometric sampling may miss immature B.
chilensis mites.
[[Page 94226]]
The mite exists in populations that contain eggs, immature stages,
and adults. Only the adults can be identified reliably through
microscopic examination of the filtrate from the sieve. The sieve will
collect adult mites. The likelihood of only eggs or nymphs being
present is very low, so APHIS can use the sieve sampling method to
reliably detect populations of mites at production sites. APHIS will be
requiring a number of samples and the probability that only eggs and
larvae of the target mite would be present in all of the samples is
very low. Moreover, if one sample detects adult B. chilensis mites, the
production site will not be certified B. chilensis free.
One commenter asked how APHIS determined the efficacy of Chilean
citrus protocol.
As we state in the RMD, our determination was based on the absence
of detections of infested fruit in the export pathway over almost 20
years.
One commenter questioned whether it is appropriate to compare the
citrus-growing area that exists in Chile to the growing areas in
Northwest Argentina for purposes of dealing with Brevipalpus spp.
mites. The commenter noted that the growing area in Argentina is much
larger than the growing area in Chile, and stated that the growing area
in Argentina has high rainfall and high humidity, while the growing
area in Chile typically has low rainfall and low humidity. The
commenter stated that the difference in climate makes the growing area
in Argentina hospitable to certain pathogens, but did not specify which
ones.
The commenter is mistaken about the climate in northwest Argentina.
The scientists at the Obispo Columbres Agroindustrial Station, SENASA,
and the lemon growers in Tucum[aacute]n told us that northwest
Argentina does not have high rainfall. On the contrary, rainfall is low
and the lemon groves are often irrigated. Therefore, the mite
populations should face similar climates in the citrus growing portions
of Chile and the lemon growing parts of northwest Argentina. During the
September 2016 site visit, we asked the scientists at the Obispo
Columbres Agroindustrial station about the mites. They said that they
had found two of the three Brevipalpus mite species (not B. chilensis)
in the lemon production areas in northwest Argentina, but that they
were not common. Further, the hot dry conditions favor mites more than
rainy humid conditions. The mitigations for Brevipalpus mites should
not be affected by any climate differences, which appear to be minimal.
One commenter stated that the protocol for citrus from Chile
includes species of citrus that may be less hospitable to B. chilensis.
APHIS notes that the protocol for mites from Chile also includes
fruit that are better hosts than lemons. The sampling method for
determining low prevalence works regardless of mite populations on the
host fruit.
Two commenters stated that surveying for B. chilensis around
production sites is necessary because if there are high populations in
the vicinity, or if wind is a strong factor in dispersal, mites are
likely to be constantly moving into the orchard.
As noted above, B. chilensis are a generalist pest, and tend to
aggregate. The likelihood of B. chilensis in a neighboring orchard,
without spillover into the registered production site, is low.
Accordingly, if mites are in the vicinity, they should be detected
through routine place of production inspections and the biometric
sampling protocol.
One commenter stated that the B. chilensis-specific protocol should
be extended to all Brevipalpus spp. mites.
Currently Argentina is sampling for B. chilensis and the three
Brevipalpus spp. mites that are potential vectors for citrus leprosis
virus. We are only requiring pest free place of production for B.
chilensis, because B. chilensis is itself a quarantine pest. We are
requiring consignment freedom (by inspection of harvested fruit) for
all of the mites. Brevipalpus species other than B. chilensis are only
considered quarantine pests if they are carrying the citrus leprosis
virus. The probability of movement of the citrus leprosis pathogen from
an infected tree in Argentina to a suitable host in the United States
via a Brevipalpus mite traveling on a lemon fruit is extremely low, and
require several additional steps to acquire and spread the pathogen so
we are not requiring production site freedom.
One commenter stated that the B. chilensis protocol should be
extended to surrounding areas of production.
As we explained above, B. chilensis is not found within 1,000 miles
of northwest Argentina, has low powers of mobility, and tends to
aggregate. If it is not found in a registered place of production
during routine surveys conducted by the NPPO to evaluate pest spread,
as well as routine harvest inspections and two separate biometric
samples associated with the systems approach, we are confident that it
will not be on fruit for export.
One commenter stated that production sites should be inspected for
B. chilensis throughout the harvest season.
If mites were found in a consignment at a packinghouse, the
originating production site would lose its free status. For this reason
it is not necessary to inspect production sites throughout the harvest
season.
One commenter stated that the B. chilensis protocol should include
surveying for citrus leprosis virus.
Symptoms of citrus leprosis virus are easy to detect, and fruit
with such symptoms will be detected during standard packinghouse
culling and phytosanitary inspections.
One commenter stated that fallen fruit should be cut and inspected
for Medfly.
This effectively calls for place of production freedom for Medfly.
APHIS notes that in the RMD, fallen fruit are specifically forbidden
from being included in harvested fruit going to the packinghouse for
fresh market. For this reason, we do not consider it necessary to
sample fallen fruit for fruit flies or any other pest.
One commenter stated that trapping requirements for Medfly need to
be delineated in the rule itself.
Historically, we have put trapping requirements in operational
workplans, rather than rules, to allow flexibility in trapping
protocols in order to respond to variations in population densities
from season to season, as well as the development of new lure and bait
technologies.
One commenter stated that trapping should be at least 50 percent
with trimedlure and the other 50 percent should be baited with either
3-component or protein bait.
APHIS notes that both the 3-component bait and the protein bait are
far less powerful lures for fruit flies than trimedlure, a pheromone.
The trimedlure will draw flies in from farther away and is a more
sensitive detection system. Trimedlure will also attract males and
unmated females, which will make up a significant portion of any fruit
fly population. The only thing that the protein or 3-component baits
will attract is mated females, and if they are present then males and
unmated females should also be present and will have already been
detected by the more powerful trimedlure.
One commenter asked for greater detail about the requirements for
packinghouses. The commenter specifically asked whether an entire
facility would be included as a packinghouse, how many facilities would
pack lemons for the U.S. market and what volume could a dedicated
packinghouse expect to process.
[[Page 94227]]
A packinghouse has to be an entire facility. APHIS is aware of a
few packinghouses that would serve as primary packinghouses; however,
all packinghouses would be registered with the NPPO. Both the NPPO and
APHIS will monitor packinghouses during routine inspections.
One commenter asked how large a consignment of lemons could be, and
if there will be a limit on the size of consignments.
Consignments can vary in size. However, regardless of the size of
the consignment, the sampling protocol is aimed at detecting a 3
percent infestation rate with at least 95 percent confidence.
One commenter asked how a biometric sample was defined.
The term `biometric sampling' simply means that the sample size
that is smaller than a straight 2 percent sample can be used to detect
pests on large consignments of the commodity. Taking a biometric sample
is more efficient than taking a straight percentage sample.
One commenter stated that the number of samples inspected should be
600. The commenter stated that this is consistent with what other
countries require from U.S. growers.
APHIS disagrees that the number of samples inspected should be 600.
One hundred samples is consistent with the Chilean protocol, which has
been effective at precluding infested fruit from being shipped.
Inspecting an additional 500 fruit per sample does not substantially
impact the probability of finding an infestation, and would be
significantly more resource-intensive.
One commenter asked if the same method will be used to inspect for
B. chilensis as is used for the production site protocol.
Yes, the same method will be used for both production sites and
packinghouses.
One commenter asked about the efficacy data for post-harvest
inspections.
Post-harvest inspections by the NPPO of an exporting country are a
long-standing phytosanitary measure that APHIS employs as part of
market access requirements. The safe importation of thousands of
foreign commodities into the United States over a prolonged period of
time is an indication of its efficacy as a phytosanitary measure.
One commenter stated that fruit that is infested with Medfly larvae
should be prohibited from being shipped.
APHIS disagrees. In the event that a single immature Medfly is
found in or with the lemons, then the lemons must be treated in
accordance with part 305 of the regulations and the operational
workplan using a cold treatment. This cold treatment has been shown to
be effective at mitigating the risk of Medfly in lemons. Additionally,
the registered place of production that produced the lemons in the
consignment may be suspended from the export program, pending an
investigation.
One commenter stated that remedial actions should be identical,
regardless of quarantine pest detected.
The remedial action when quarantine pests are detected is that the
fruit cannot be exported. Some findings of quarantine pests also
disqualify production sites because the mitigation requires the
production site to be a pest-free place of production.
One commenter noted that the rule referred to CBP inspectors, but
the supporting documents refer to APHIS inspectors. The commenter asked
for clarification as to who will conduct port of entry inspections.
CBP conducts inspections at ports of entries pursuant to authority
delegated to APHIS. The use of CBP employees to carry out functions
specifically delegated to APHIS is authorized by the Homeland Security
Act of 2002. Because CBP is effectively acting as agents of APHIS for
the purposes of these inspections, we use the term ``APHIS.'' These
inspections sample imported commodities for evidence of pests. If pests
are detected, APHIS identifiers will be used to positively identify the
pests.
One commenter asked whether port of entry inspections would include
biometric sampling for Brevipalpus mites. The commenter also asked how
CBP would be able to detect the mites.
The B. chilensis protocol is used to establish place of production
freedom, and is also used as part of the phytosanitary inspection by
the NPPO. Port of entry inspection for B. chilensis and other
Brevipalpus mites will look for the pests, as well as signs and
symptoms of infestation, such as bronzing.
One commenter asked why, if information from port of entry
inspections is ``unreliable,'' they can be stated to be effective.
``Not be detected at the port of entry'' was removed as a criterion
in the PRA because we do not have enough information about relative
likelihood of detection at the port of entry to be able to weight this
criterion relative to other elements. As a result, this criterion could
not substantially impact the risk ratings. This does not imply that
port of entry inspections are an ineffective component of a systems
approach.
One commenter stated that the rule should specify how APHIS will
monitor and enforce the systems approach. The commenter expressed
concern that APHIS would have to commit substantial resources to ensure
compliance with the operational workplan.
This request is predicated on the stated assumptions that SENASA
lacks the ability and intent to abide by systems approach requirements.
For reasons discussed above, we disagree with those assumptions.
One commenter stated that APHIS should require cold treatment of
lemons from northwest Argentina.
This approach would not impose the least restrictive science-based
actions needed to address plant pest risk, and thus would be
inconsistent with our obligations under the SPS agreement.
One commenter stated that the rule should prohibit the importation
of lemons from northwest Argentina into Florida. The commenter also
stated that the rule should limit importation of lemons to areas north
of the 38th parallel.
We have determined, for the reasons described in the RMD that
accompanied the proposed rule, that the measures specified in the RMD
will effectively mitigate the risk associated with the importation of
lemons from northwest Argentina. The commenter did not provide any
evidence suggesting that the mitigations are not effective. Therefore,
we are not taking the action requested by the commenter.
Two commenters expressed concern that Argentine producers may use
pesticides or practices that are not authorized in the United States.
We note that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the
Department of Health and Human Services regulates the pesticide,
herbicide, and fertilizer residues that may be present on imported
fruits and vegetables intended for human consumption. If illegal
pesticides are detected, FDA will take action to remove them from the
marketplace. Additionally, we note that the packinghouse disinfectants
and treatments for pathogens that we are proposing for Argentina are
the same used domestically.
One commenter stated that importing lemons from Argentina will
involve carbon dioxide emissions that should be available to the
consumer as they purchase the lemons. The commenter stated that the
lemons should be labeled with the pounds of carbon dioxide emitted per
pound of lemons.
This request is outside the scope of APHIS' statutory authority.
[[Page 94228]]
Therefore, for the reasons given in the proposed rule and in this
document, we are adopting the proposed rule as a final rule, with minor
editorial changes.
Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act
This final rule has been determined to be not significant for the
purposes of Executive Order 12866 and, therefore, has not been reviewed
by the Office of Management and Budget.
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 604, we have performed a final
regulatory flexibility analysis, which is summarized below, regarding
the economic effects of this rule on small entities. Copies of the full
analysis are available on the Regulations.gov Web site (see footnote 1
in this document for a link to Regulations.gov) or by contacting the
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
This analysis examines potential economic impacts of a rule that
will allow the importation of fresh lemons from a region in Northwest
Argentina into the continental United States. A systems approach to
pest risk mitigation will provide phytosanitary protection against
pests of quarantine concern. Both U.S. producers and consumers will be
affected by the rule. While producers' welfare will be negatively
affected, welfare gains for consumers will outweigh producer losses,
resulting in a net benefit to the U.S. economy.
Commercial lemon production takes place in California and Arizona.
For the 2014/15 season, lemon-bearing acres totaled 55,300 (California
47,000, Arizona 8,300). In the same season, the value of U.S.
production of lemons was $694 million. Over the production seasons
2008/09 to 2014/15, U.S. fresh lemon production averaged 535,244 metric
tons (MT) per year. Over the same period, annual imports averaged
49,995 MT and exports averaged 101,849 MT. Because lemons imported from
Argentina that are harvested green between April 1 and August 31 will
not require treatment for Medfly, we expect that most will be imported
during this period, which coincides roughly with the months in which
U.S. lemon exports are declining and imports are increasing.
Effects of the rule are estimated using a partial equilibrium model
of the U.S. lemon sector. Annual imports of fresh lemon from Argentina
are expected to range between 15,000 and 20,000 MT, with volumes
averaging 18,000 MT. Quantity, price and welfare changes are estimated
for these three import scenarios.
If the United States imports 18,000 MT of fresh lemon from
Argentina and there is no displacement of lemon imports from other
countries, we estimate that the price (custom import value) of fresh
lemon will decrease by about 4 percent. Consumer welfare gains of $22.4
million will outweigh producer welfare losses of $19.9 million,
resulting in a net welfare gain of $2.5 million. The 15,000 MT and
20,000 MT scenarios show similar effects.
More reasonably, partial import displacement will occur, and price
and welfare effects will be proportional to the net increase in U.S.
lemon imports. Assuming as an upper-bound that one-half of the quantity
of fresh lemons imported from Argentina displaces U.S. fresh lemon
imports from elsewhere, we estimate for the 18,000 MT scenario that the
price decline will be about 2 percent; consumer welfare gains and
producer welfare losses will be $11.1 million and $10.0 million,
respectively, yielding a net welfare benefit of $1.1 million.
The majority of businesses that may be affected by the final rule
are small entities, including lemon producers, packers, wholesalers,
and related establishments.
Executive Order 12988
This final rule allows lemons to be imported into the continental
United States from Argentina. State and local laws and regulations
regarding lemons imported under this rule will be preempted while the
fruit is in foreign commerce. Fresh lemons are generally imported for
immediate distribution and sale to the consuming public, and remain in
foreign commerce until sold to the ultimate consumer. The question of
when foreign commerce ceases in other cases must be addressed on a
case-by-case basis. No retroactive effect will be given to this rule,
and this rule will not require administrative proceedings before
parties may file suit in court challenging this rule.
Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with section 3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the information collection or
recordkeeping requirements included in this final rule, which were
filed under 0579-0448, have been submitted for approval to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB). When OMB notifies us of its decision,
if approval is denied, we will publish a document in the Federal
Register providing notice of what action we plan to take.
E-Government Act Compliance
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is committed to
compliance with the E-Government Act to promote the use of the Internet
and other information technologies, to provide increased opportunities
for citizen access to Government information and services, and for
other purposes. For information pertinent to E-Government Act
compliance related to this rule, please contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy,
APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483.
List of Subjects for 7 CFR Part 319
Coffee, Cotton, Fruits, Imports, Logs, Nursery stock, Plant
diseases and pests, Quarantine, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Rice, Vegetables.
Accordingly, we are amending 7 CFR part 319 as follows:
PART 319--FOREIGN QUARANTINE NOTICES
0
1. The authority citation for part 319 continues to read as follows:
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.
0
2. Section 319.28 is amended as follows:
0
a. In paragraph (a)(1), by removing the words ``(except for the States
of Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta, and Tucuman, which are considered free of
citrus canker)''.
0
b. In paragraph (a)(2), by removing the word ``Argentina,''.
0
c. By redesignating paragraphs (e) through (i) as paragraphs (f)
through (j), respectively, and adding a new paragraph (e).
0
d. In newly redesignated paragraph (h), the words ``paragraphs (b)
through (e)'' are removed and the words ``paragraphs (b) through (f)''
are added in their place.
The addition reads as follows:
Sec. [thinsp]319.28 Notice of quarantine.
* * * * *
(e) The prohibition does not apply to lemons (Citrus limon (L.)
Burm. f.) from northwest Argentina that meet the requirements of Sec.
[thinsp]319.56-76.
* * * * *
0
3. Section 319.56-76 is added to read as follows:
Sec. [thinsp]319.56-76 Lemons from northwest Argentina.
Fresh lemons (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.) may be imported into the
continental United States from northwest Argentina (the Provinces of
Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta, and Tucum[aacute]n) only under the conditions
described in this section. These conditions are designed to prevent the
introduction of the
[[Page 94229]]
following quarantine pests: Brevipalpus chilensis, the Chilean false
red mite; B. californicus, the citrus flat mite, B. obovatus, the
scarlet tea mite, and B. phoenicis, the false spider mite (referred to
in this section as ``Brevipalpus spp. mites''); Ceratitis capitata, the
Mediterranean fruit fly; Cryptoblabes gnidiella, the honeydew moth;
Elsino[euml] australis, the causal agent of sweet orange scab disease;
Gymnandrosoma aurantianum (Lima), the citrus borer; and Xanthomonas
citri subsp. citri (ex Hasse) Gabriel et al., the causal agent of
citrus canker disease.
(a) General requirements--(1) Operational workplan. The national
plant protection organization (NPPO) of Argentina must provide an
operational workplan to APHIS that details the activities that the NPPO
of Argentina and places of production and packinghouses registered with
the NPPO of Argentina will, subject to APHIS' approval of the workplan,
carry out to meet the requirements of this section. The operational
workplan must include and describe the specific requirements as set
forth in this section. APHIS will be directly involved with the NPPO of
Argentina in monitoring and auditing implementation of the systems
approach.
(2) Registered places of production. The fresh lemons considered
for export to the continental United States must be grown by places of
production that are registered with the NPPO of Argentina and that have
been determined to be free from B. chilensis in accordance with this
section.
(3) Registered packinghouses. The lemons must be packed for export
to the continental United States in pest-exclusionary packinghouses
that are registered with the NPPO of Argentina.
(4) Recordkeeping. The NPPO of Argentina must maintain all forms
and documents pertaining to registered places of production and
packinghouses for at least 1 year and, as requested, provide them to
APHIS for review. Based on APHIS' review of records, APHIS may monitor
places of production and packinghouses, as APHIS deems warranted.
(5) Commercial consignments. Lemons from Argentina can be imported
to the continental United States in commercial consignments only. For
purposes of this section, fruit in a commercial consignment must be
practically free of leaves, twigs, and other plant parts, except for
stems less than 1 inch long and attached to the fruit.
(6) Identification. The identity of the each lot of lemons from
Argentina must be maintained throughout the export process, from the
place of production to the arrival of the lemons at the port of entry
into the continental United States. The means of identification that
allows the lot to be traced back to its place of production must be
authorized by the operational workplan.
(7) Harvesting restrictions or treatment for fruit flies. Lemons
from Argentina must be harvested green and within the time period of
April 1 and August 31. If they are harvested yellow or harvested
outside of this time period, they must be treated for C. capitata in
accordance with part 305 of this chapter and the operational workplan.
(8) Safeguarding. Lots of lemons destined for export to the
continental United States must be safeguarded during movement from
registered places of production to registered packinghouses as
specified by the operational workplan.
(9) Phytosanitary certificate. Each consignment of lemons imported
from Argentina into the continental United States must be accompanied
by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO of Argentina with an
additional declaration stating that the requirements of this section
have been met and that the consignments have been inspected and found
free of Brevipalpus spp. mites, B. chilensis, C. capitata, C.
gnidiella, and G. aurantianum.
(b) Place of production requirements. (1) Prior to each harvest
season, registered places of production of lemons destined for export
to the continental United States must be determined by APHIS and the
NPPO of Argentina to be free from B. chilensis based on biometric
sampling conducted in accordance with the operational workplan. If a
single live B. chilensis mite is discovered as a result of such
sampling, the place of production will not be considered free from B.
chilensis and will not be able to export lemons to the United States.
Each place of production will have only one opportunity per harvest
season to be considered free of B. chilensis, and certification of B.
chilensis freedom will only last one harvest season.
(2) Places of production must remove plant litter and fallen debris
from groves in accordance with the operational workplan. Fallen fruit
may not be included in field containers of fruit brought to the
packinghouse to be packed for export.
(3) Places of production must trap for C. capitata in accordance
with the operational workplan. The NPPO must keep records regarding the
placement and monitoring of all traps, as well as records of all pest
detections in these traps, and provide the records to APHIS, as
requested.
(4) Places of production must carry out any additional grove
sanitation and phytosanitary measures specified for the place of
production by the operational workplan.
(5) The NPPO of Argentina must visit and inspect registered places
of production regularly throughout the exporting season for signs of
infestations. These inspections must start no more than 30 days before
harvest and continue until the end of the export season. The NPPO of
Argentina must allow APHIS to monitor these inspections. The NPPO of
Argentina must also provide records of pest detections and pest
detection practices to APHIS. Before any place of production may export
lemons to the continental United States pursuant to this section, APHIS
must review and approve of these practices.
(6) If APHIS or the NPPO of Argentina determines that a registered
place of production has failed to follow the requirements in this
paragraph (b), the place of production will be excluded from the export
program until APHIS and the NPPO of Argentina jointly agree that the
place of production has taken appropriate remedial measures to address
the plant pest risk.
(c) Packinghouse requirements. (1) During the time registered
packinghouses are in use for packing lemons for export to the
continental United States, the packinghouses may only accept lemons
that are from registered places of production and that have been
produced in accordance with the requirements of this section.
(2) Lemons destined for export to the continental United States
must be packed within 24 hours of harvest in a registered pest-
exclusionary packinghouse or stored in a degreening chamber in the
registered pest-exclusionary packinghouse. Lemons must be packed for
shipment to the continental United States in insect-proof cartons or
containers, or covered with insect-proof mesh or plastic tarpaulin.
These safeguards must remain intact until the lemons arrive in the
United States, or the consignment will not be allowed to enter the
United States.
(3) Prior to packing, the lemons must be washed, brushed, and
surface disinfected for E. australis and X. citri and in accordance
with the operational workplan, treated with an APHIS-approved
fungicide, and waxed.
(4) After treatment, the NPPO of Argentina or officials authorized
by the NPPO of Argentina must visually inspect a biometric sample of
each consignment for quarantine pests, wash
[[Page 94230]]
the lemons in this sample, and inspect the filtrate for B. chilensis in
accordance with the operational workplan. A portion of the lemons must
then be cut open and inspected for evidence of quarantine pests.
(i) If a single C. gnidiella or G. aurantianum in any stage of
development is found on the lemons, the entire consignment is
prohibited from export to the United States, and the registered place
of production that produced the lemons is suspended from the export
program until APHIS and the NPPO of Argentina jointly agree that the
place of production has taken appropriate remedial measures to address
plant pest risk.
(ii) If a single B. chilensis or Brevipalpus spp. mite in any stage
of development is found on the lemons, the entire consignment is
prohibited from export, and the registered place of production that
produced the lemons may be suspended from the export program, pending
an investigation.
(iii) If a single immature Medfly is found in or with the lemons,
the lemons must be treated in accordance with part 305 of this chapter
and the operational workplan. Additionally, the registered place of
production that produced the lemons in the consignment may be suspended
from the export program, pending an investigation.
(5) If APHIS or the NPPO of Argentina determines that a registered
packinghouse has failed to follow the requirements in this paragraph
(c), the packinghouse will be excluded from the export program until
APHIS and the NPPO of Argentina jointly agree that the packinghouse has
taken appropriate remedial measures to address the plant pest risk.
(d) Port of entry requirements. Consignments of lemons from
Argentina will be inspected at the port of entry into the United
States. If any quarantine pests are discovered on the lemons during
inspection, the entire lot in which the quarantine pest was discovered
will be subject to appropriate remedial measures to address this risk.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control
number 0579-0448)
Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of December 2016.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-31013 Filed 12-22-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P