G/SPS/N/USA/2736/Add.1  
 
9 June 2016  
(16-3121)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
Addendum 
The following communication, received on 8 June 2016, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the United States of America. 
 
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 Final Rule: Mexican Hass Avocado Import Program (Docket # APHIS-2014-0088) 
Commercial consignments of Hass avocado fruit are currently authorized entry into the continental 
United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico from the Mexican State of Michoacán under a systems 
approach to mitigate against quarantine pests of concern. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service is amending the regulations to allow the importation of fresh Hass avocado fruit into the 
continental United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico from all of Mexico, provided individual Mexican 
States meet the requirements set out in the regu lations and the operational workplan. Initially, 
this action would only apply to the Mexican State of Jalisco. With the exception of a clarification of 
the language concerning when sealed, insect-proof  containers would be required to be used in 
shipping and the removal of mandatory fruit cutti ng at land and maritime borders, the current 
systems approach will not change. The current systems approach, which includes requirements for orchard certification, traceback labelling, pr e-harvest orchard surveys, orchard sanitation, 
post-harvest safeguards, fruit cutting and inspection at the packinghouse, port-of-arrival 
inspection, and clearance activities, will be required for importation of fresh Hass avocado fruit from all approved areas of Mexico. The fruit will also be required to be imported in commercial 
consignments and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant 
protection organization of Mexico with an additional declaration stating that the consignment was produced in accordance with the systems approa ch described in the operational workplan. This 
final rule will allow for the importation of fresh Hass avocado fruit from Mexico while continuing to 
provide protection against the introduction of plant pests into the continental United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. 
This notice is available in English at:  
https://www.regulations.gov/#!docu mentDetail;D=APH IS-2014-0088-0042 .  
Federal Register/Vol. 81, No. 103/Friday, 27 May 2016/Pgs. 33581-33588. 
On 18 February 2015, we published in the Federal Register (80 FR 8561-8564, Docket No. 
APHIS-2014-0088) a proposed rule to amend the regulations to allow fresh Hass avocado fruit to 
be imported from all of Mexico into the continental United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. APHIS solicited comments concerning our proposal for 60 days ending 20 April 2015. We received 34 
comments by that date.   
This addendum concerns a: 
[ ] Modification of final date for comments 
[X] Notification of adoption, publication or entry into force of regulation 
[ ] Modification of content and/or scope of  previously notified draft regulation 
[ ] Withdrawal of proposed regulation 
[ ] Change in proposed date of adoption, publication or date of entry into force 
[ ] Other:   G/SPS/N/USA/2736/Add.1 
 
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  Comment period: (If the addendum extends the scope of the previously notified 
measure in terms of products and/or potent ially affected Members, a new deadline for 
receipt of comments should be provided, norm ally of at least 60 calendar days. Under 
other circumstances, such as extension of or iginally announced final date for comments, 
the comment period provided in the addendum may vary.)  
[ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the addendum to the notification and/or 
(dd/mm/yy) : The final rule is effective 27 June 2016. 
Agency or authority designated to handle co mments: [ ] National Notification Authority, 
[ ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax nu mber and e-mail address (if available) of 
other body: 
Mr. David B. Lamb, Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist, RPM, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, 
Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; Tel: +(1 301) 851 2103  
Text(s) available from: [X] National Notificati on Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point. 
Address, fax number and e-mail addre ss (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  
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