. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1827 
13 June 2008  
 (08-2762) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  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 numb er(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Hass variety avocados 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable :  
Michoacan (Mexico) 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  PROPOSED RULE: 
Movement of Hass Avocados From Areas Where Mexican Fruit Fly or Sapote Fruit Fly Exist 
(Docket No. APHIS–2006–0189) (avail able in English, 6 pages) 
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Insp ection Service is proposing to 
relieve certain restrictions regarding the moveme nt of Hass variety a vocados.  Specifically, 
we are proposing to (in addition to amending our  domestic quarantine regulations) amend our 
foreign quarantine regulations to remove tr apping and bait spray tr eatment requirements 
related to Anastrepha spp. fruit flies for imported Hass avocados from Michoacan, Mexico.  These actions are warranted in light of research demonstrating the limited host status of Hass avocados to various species of fruit flies in the genus Anastrepha, including Mexican fruit fly 
and sapote fruit fly.  By amending our dome stic and foreign quarantined regulations, we 
would make our domestic and foreign requi rements for movement of Hass avocados 
consistent with each other and would reliev e restrictions for Mexican Hass avocado 
producers.  In addition, this action would provide  an alternative means for Hass avocados to 
be moved intersta te if the avocados originate from a Mexican fruit fly or sapote fruit fly 
quarantined area in 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. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:    G/SPS/N/USA/1827 
Page 2  
 
  9. Relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:   F e d e r a l  R e g i s t e r :   
2 April 2008 (Volume 73, Number 64), Pa ges 17930-17935; Available in English. 
Full text and additional information:  Go to http://www.gpoaccess. gov/fr/advanced.html
, 
select 2008 FR Vol. 73, and type 17930 in search box.   
10. Proposed date of adoption:  N/A 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  N/A 
12. Final date for comments:  2 June 2008  
Comments in general will be accepted at any ti me after publication of the notice of filing; 
however, if a final rule is promulgated, it will address only those comments that were 
received prior to publication of the final rule.  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or  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/f dmspublic/component/ 
main?main=DocketDeta il&d=APHIS-2006-0189 to submit or view comments and to view 
supporting and related material s available electronically. 
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of your comment to Docket No. 
APHIS–2006–0189, Regulatory Analysis and Deve lopment, PPD, APHI S, Station 3A–03.8, 
4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. Please state that your comment 
refers to Docket No. APHIS–2006–0189. 
For further information, contact: 
Mr. David B. Lamb, Import Specialist, Commo dity Import Analysis and Operations, PPQ, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737–1231; tel. +1 301 734–4312 
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notificati on authority, [   ] Na tional enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
United States SPS National Notification Aut hority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1027, Washington D.C. 
20250;  Tel:  +(1 202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 720 0433;  E-mail:  
us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov