. /. WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/USA/722/Rev.1 
24 May 2004 
 (04-2222) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
Revision 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES 
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:   Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Plant products 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable:  
Trading partners 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   Certification Program for 
Imported Articles of Pelargonium spp. and Sola num spp. To Prevent Introduction of Potato 
Brown Rot, Interim Rule with Request for Comments, English, and Volume 68 Number 79 PP.21941-21947, http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-
bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2004_r egister&docid=fr23ap04-1  
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
amending the regulations to establish a certifi cation program for articles of Pelargonium 
spp. and Solanum spp. imported from countries where the bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 is known to o ccur. The requirements of the certification 
program are designed to ensure that Ralst onia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 will not be 
introduced into the United States through the im portation of articles of Pelargonium spp. 
and Solanum spp. APHIS has determined that  the restrictions presently in place do not 
adequately mitigate the risk that imported ar ticles of Pelargonium spp. and Solanum spp. 
could introduce this bacterial strain, which cau ses potato brown rot, into the United States. 
This action is necessary to prevent the introductio n of this bacterial strain into the United 
States. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [   ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [ X ] plant protection, 
[  ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease, [   ] protec t territory from other 
damage from pests 
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:  
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:  Available in English G/SPS/N/USA/722/Rev.1 
Page 2  
 
 10. Proposed date of adoption:   To be determined. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   24 May 2004 
12. Final date for comments:  Submit comments by 22 June 2004,  referring Docket no: 03-019-
2 to USDA/APHIS, Docket  03-019-2, 4700 Ri ver Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1236 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or  address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   Ms. Julie Morin, Acting United St ates SPS Enquiry Point Officer, 
Food Safety and Technical Services Division, USDA/ Foreign Agricultural Service 
Telephone: 202 720 -4051 Fax: 202  720-7772, fstsd@fas.usda.gov . 
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notificati on authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  Ms. Julie 
Morin, Acting United States SPS Enquiry Point Officer, Food Safety and Technical Services 
Division, USDA/ Foreign Agricultural Serv ice Telephone: 202 720 -4051 Fax: 202 720-
7772, fstsd@fas.usda.gov .