. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/2031 
9 June 2010  
 (10-3157) 
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):  Hass avocados 
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:  Importation of  Mexican Hass Avocados;  
Additional Shipping Options (Docket No. APHIS-2008-0016)  Language:  English  
Number of pages:  5   
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to 
amend its regulations for the importation of  hass avocados originating in Michoacán, 
Mexico, into the United States by adding the opti on to ship avocados to  the United States in 
bulk shipping bins when safeguarding is maintained from the packinghouse to the port of first arrival in the United States and by making it clear that the avocados may be shipped by 
land, sea, or air.  We are also proposing to allow avocados from multiple packinghouses 
that participate in the avocado export program to be combined into one consignment.  We 
are proposing these actions in response to re quests from the Government of Mexico and 
inquiries from a US maritime port.  These actions  will allow additional options for shipping 
hass avocados from Mexico to the United States and allow Mexican exporters to ship full 
container or truck loads from multiple pack inghouses while conti nuing to provide an 
appropriate level of protection against the introduction of plant pests. 
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/2031 
Page 2  
 
  [ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] 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:  Federal 
Register:  27 May 2010 (Volume 75, Number 102), Pages 29680-29684;  available in English at:  http://edocket.access.gpo.go v/2010/2010-12823.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  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  26 July 2010 
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-2008-001 6) to submit 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-2008-0016, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118,  Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.  Please state 
that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0016. 
For further information contact:  Mr. Davi d B. Lamb, Import Specialist, Regulatory 
Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231;  +(1 301) 734 0627 
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