G/SPS /N/USA/2910  
 
8 November 2016  
(16-6113) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AME RICA 
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; ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Hass avocados  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partner s   
[X] Specific regions or countries: Colombia  
5. Title of the notified document: Proposed Rule: Imports: Hass Avocados from 
Colombia (Docket # APHIS -2016-0022) . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 6 
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS -2016-0022-0001 
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
proposing to amend the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of  
Hass avocados from Colombia into the continental United States. As a condition of entry, 
Hass avocados from Colombia would have to be produced in accordance with a systems 
approach that would include 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; lot identification; 
and inspection for quarantine pests by the Colombian national plant prote ction 
organization. Additionally, avocados from Colombia would be required to be 
accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that the 
avocados have been produced in accordance with the proposed requirements. 
This action would allow for the importation of Hass avocados from Colombia into the 
continental United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction 
of plant pests.  
Federal Register Vol. 81, No. 208, Thursday, 27 October 2016, pages 74722 -74727. 
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 standard? If so, i dentify 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) :   
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :   G/SPS/N/USA/2910  
 
- 2 - 
 
  [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 pub lication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 27 December 2016  
Agency or authority designated to handle 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 -2016-0022. 
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comments to Docket No. APHIS -2016-0022, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Statio n 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/#!d ocketDetail;D=APHIS -2016-0022. 
For further information contact: Mr David B. Lamb, Senior Regulatory Policy  
Specialist, USDA/APHIS/PPQ, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737 -1236; 
+(301) 851 2103; David.B.Lamb@aphis.usda.gov  
13. Text(s)  availabl e from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [ ]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
United States SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations a nd 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