. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/2194 
14 April 2011  
 (11-1898) 
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:  Certain areas in the United States, Mexico, and 
Peru, as specified in the proposed rule  
5. Title of the notified document:  Proposed Rule:  Movement of Hass Avocados From 
Areas Where Mediterranean Fruit Fly or S outh American Fruit Fly Exist (Docket No. 
APHIS-2010-0127)  Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  3 
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to 
relieve certain restrictions regarding the movement of fresh Hass variety avocados.  Specifically, we are proposing to amend our domestic regulations to provide for the 
interstate movement of Hass avocados from Mediterranean fruit fly quarantined areas in the 
United States with a certificate if the fruit is safeguarded af ter harvest in accordance with 
specific measures.  We are also proposing to amend our foreign quarantine regulations to 
remove trapping requirements for Mediterranean  fruit fly for Hass avocados imported from 
the State of Michoacán (Mexico), requirements for treatment or origin from an area free of 
Mediterranean fruit fly for Hass avocados imported from Peru, and requirements for 
trapping or origin from an area free of South American fruit fly for Hass avocados imported 
from Peru.  These actions are warranted in light of research demonstrating the limited host 
status of Hass avocados to Mediterranean fruit fly and South American fruit fly.  This 
action would make our domestic and foreign requirements for movement of Hass avocados 
consistent with each other and would relieve restrictions for Mexican and Peruvian Hass 
avocado producers.  In addition, this action w ould provide a means for Hass avocados to be 
moved interstate if the avocados originate from a Mediterranean 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.    G/SPS/N/USA/2194 
Page 2  
 
  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)   
[ ] 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:  4 April 2011 (Volume 76, Number  64), Notices Pages 18419-18421. Available 
online in English at:  " http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2010-
0127-0001 "  
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) :  4 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-2010-012 7) 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-2010-0127 Regulatory Analysis a nd 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-2010-0127 
For further information contact:  Mr. Tony Ro màn, Import Specialist, Regulations, Permits, 
and Manuals, PPQ, APHIS, APHIS, 4700 Rive r 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 Fore ign 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.s psenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov