. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/2181 
31 March 2011  
 (11-1584) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the US 
Department of Agriculture 
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):  Tomatoes with stems 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Republic of Korea  
5. Title of the notified document:  Proposed Rule:  Tomatoes With Stems From the Republic 
of Korea Into the United States (Docket No. APHIS-2010-0020)  Language(s):  English  
Number of pages:  5 
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to 
amend the fruits and vegetables regulations  to allow, under certain conditions, the 
importation into the United States of commerc ial consignments of tomatoes with stems 
from the Republic of Korea.  The conditions for the importation of tomatoes with stems 
from the Republic of Korea include requirements for pest exclusion at the production site, 
fruit fly trapping inside and outside the pr oduction site, and pest-e xcluding packinghouse 
procedures.  The tomatoes would also be required to be accompanied by a phytosanitary 
certificate issued by the national plant protection organization of the Republic of Korea with an additional declaration confirming that the tomatoes had been produced in 
accordance with the proposed requirements.  This action would allow the importation of 
tomatoes with stems from the Republic of Ko rea while continuing to provide protection 
against the introduction of injurious plant pests into the United States. 
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 stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)   G/SPS/N/USA/2181 
Page 2  
 
  [ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [X] 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:  Federal 
Register:  15 March 2011 (Volume 76, Nu mber 50), Notices Pages 13892-13896.  
Available online in English at:  " http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-03-15/html/2011-
5963.htm " 
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) :  16 May 2011 
Agency or authority designated to handl e 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/  and search on the 
docket number (APHIS-2010-0020) to subm it or view comments and to view 
supporting and related materials available electronically. 
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:  Please send two copies of your comment to Docket 
No. APHIS-2010-0020 Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Rive rdale, MD 20737-1238.  Please state that 
your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0020. 
For further information contact:  
Mr. Phillip B. Grove, Regulatory Coordination Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737 1231;  
+(1 301) 734 6280. 
13. Texts available 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 and Standards Di vision (IRSD), Stop 1027, Washington D.C. 
20250;  Tel:  +(1 202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 720 0433;  E-mail:  
us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov