G/SPS/N/USA/2737  
 
13 March 2015  
(15-1439)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
1. Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Tomato plantlets  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries: Mexico  
5. Title of the notified document: Proposed Rule: Tomato Plantlets in Approved Growing 
Media from Mexico (Docket No. APHIS-2014-0099)  Language(s): English  Number of 
pages: 5 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docu mentDetail;D=APH IS-2014-0099-0001  
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
proposing to amend the regulations governing the importation of plants for planting to 
authorize the importation of tomato plantlets from Mexico in approved growing media, 
subject to a systems approach. The systems approach would consist of measures currently specified for tomato plants for planting not imported in growing media, as well 
as measures specific to all plants for plan ting imported into the United States in 
approved growing media. Addi tionally, the plantlets would have to be imported into 
greenhouses in the continental United States  and the importers of the plantlets from 
Mexico or the owners of the greenhouses in the continental United States would have to 
enter into compliance agreements regarding the conditions under which the plants from Mexico must enter and be maintained within the greenhouses. This proposed rule would allow for the importation into the continental United States of tomato plantlets from 
Mexico in approved growing media, while prov iding protection against the introduction of 
plant pests. The proposed rule would also allow the imported greenhouse plantlets to produce tomato fruit for commercial sale within the United States. 
Federal Register Vol. 80, No. 43, Thursday, 5 March 2015, pages 11946-11950 
7. Objective and rationale: [ ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [X] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    G/SPS/N/USA/2737 
 
- 2 - 
 
  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[X] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[ ] Yes   [ ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable 
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 4 May 2015 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
You may submit comments by either of the following methods: 
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS
-2014-0099  
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2014-0099, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, 
Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238 
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0099  
For Further Information Contact Ms. Lydia E. Colón, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 
133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; Tel: +(1 301) 851 2302 
13. Text(s) available from: [X] National Notifi cation Authority, [ ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
United States SPS National Notification Auth ority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1014, Washington D.C. 
20250; Tel: +(1 202) 720 1301; Fax: +(1 202) 720 0433; E-mail: 
us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov