United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

Animal and 

Plant Health 

Inspection 

Service

October 2012

Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

Proposed Rule

APHIS 2012-0078

RIN 0579-AD72

Importation of female squash flowers

(Curcubita pepo L.) from Israel 

Policy & Program Development

Policy Analysis & Development
i

Summary

This proposed rule would amend the regulations to allow, under certain conditions, the 

importation of female squash flowers (Curcubita pepo L.) from Israel into the continental United 

States. Squash flowers have gained in popularity as an elegant way to garnish dishes, desserts,

and salads, and as an ingredient in other dishes. Marketing of commercially grown edible flowers 

is typically directed to clientele at upscale restaurants.

Farms that solely produce squash flowers are rare. The blossoms are typically a byproduct of squash fruit production. Squash is commercially produced throughout the United 

States, but principally in Michigan, California, Florida, and Georgia. 

The Small Business Administration’s small-entity standard for U.S farms that produce 

squash is annual receipts of not more than $750,000. In 2007, the average market value of sales 

by the 11,821 U.S farms that produced squash was about $17,222, well below the small-entity

standard. We infer that by far most farms producing squash, including farms producing squash 

flowers, are small entities.

Israel is expecting to export 10 metric tons of fresh female squash flowers annually to the 

United States. We do not know the quantity or value of female squash flower production in the 

United States, or the quantity or value of female squash flowers imported from other countries. 

Without basic production and trade information, we are unable to evaluate potential impacts of 

this proposed rule. We welcome information of this type that would permit an analysis of 

possible effects for U.S squash flower producers. 
ii

Table of Contents

Summary.............................................................................................................................. i

Introduction......................................................................................................................... 3

Objectives of and Legal Basis for the Rule ........................................................................ 3

Potentially Affected Small Entities..................................................................................... 4

Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Other Compliance Requirements..................... 5

Duplication, Overlap, or Conflict with Existing Rules and Regulations............................ 6

Alternatives to minimize Significant Economic Impacts of the Rule................................. 6
iii

Introduction

The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires agencies to evaluate the potential effects of their 

proposed and final rules on small businesses, small organizations and small governmental 

jurisdictions. This initial regulatory flexibility analysis describes expected impacts of this 

proposed rule on small entities, as required by section 603 of the Act.

APHIS received a request from Israel to authorize the importation of fresh female squash 

flowers (Cucurbita pepo L.) into the continental United States. In response to Israel’s request, 

APHIS developed a risk assessment identifying mitigation measures that would prevent the 

introduction of plant pests in commercial shipments. Under this risk assessment, female squash 

blossoms would enter the United States under a systems approach. The systems approach

includes measures such as growing in registered production areas, phytosanitary certification, 

inspection at the port entry, and labeling of containers transporting blossoms. 

Female squash flowers have gained in popularity as an elegant way to garnish dishes, 

desserts, and salads, and as an ingredient in other dishes. Squash blossoms are marketed as 

individually-wrapped male or female flowers. Marketing of commercially grown edible flowers 

is typically directed to clientele at upscale restaurants. Harvesting and sale of squash blossoms is 

time-sensitive; they must me picked before growth of the squash fruit, and they have a maximum 

shelf life of two days.

1

 

1 The Packer online news. http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/shipping-profiles/california- 

 spring-vegetables/Spring-interest-blossoms-in-squash-flowers-babies-140306443.html
2

Squash flowers are a by-product of squash production. Production of squash plants solely

for the purpose of harvesting the flowers is rare.

2

Israel expects to export 10 MT of female 

squash flowers to the continental United States per year. Lack of production and trade data 

specific to female squash flowers prevents an informed examination of expected market effects 

of the proposed rule. We welcome information regarding the production and sale of edible 

female squash flowers that would allow insight into possible effects of the proposed rule for U.S. 

producers of female squash flowers. 

U.S. squash production would not be affected by this proposed rule. However, as 

context, we provide information on U.S. squash production levels, 2008- 2010, are shown in 

table 1. In 2010, the United States produced 296,740 metric tons (MT), down from 303,917 MT 

in 2008. Michigan was the largest supplier over the three-year period shown in table 1, with an 

average production of 60,555 MT followed by California (53,615 MT), Florida (48,867MT), and 

Georgia (30,844 MT). The percentage share of U.S. production by these four States averaged 63 

percent.

 

2

Institute of Food and Agricultural Services - University of Florida.
3

Table 1. Squash production in Michigan, California, Florida, Georgia, and nationally, 2008-

2010

State 

Average

2008-2010

2008 2009 2010

Michigan 59,874 61,915 59,874 60,555

California 51,165 55,248 54,431 53,615

Florida 45,178 51,891 49,532 48,867

Georgia 22,680 48,081 21,772 30,844

Total U.S production 303,317 327,448 296,740 309,169

Total Production of listed States 178,897 217,135 185,610 193,880

Percentage share of listed States 59% 66% 63% 63%

 Production (Metric Tons) 

Source: NASS Statistics of Vegetables and Melons, 

http://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Ag_Statistics/2011/Chapter04.pdf

Reasons Action is Being Considered

The proposed rule is in response to a request made by the government of Israel for 

APHIS to amend the regulations to allow for the commercial shipment into the United States of 

fresh female squash flowers, Cucurbita pepo L. A systems approach would be used to mitigate 

the risks posed by certain plant pests. 

Objectives of and Legal Basis for the Rule

The objective of this proposed rule is to allow female squash flowers to be imported into 

the United States from Israel. The legal basis for this action is the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 

7701-7772), which authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to prohibit or restrict the importation 

of any plant product if the Secretary determines that the prohibition or restriction is necessary to 

prevent the introduction of a plant pest or noxious weed into the United States. The proposed 

rule is part of a continuing program to allow the importation, under certain conditions, of foreign 

agricultural products that APHIS has determined are without significant risk of introducing pests 

or diseases into the United States.
4

Potentially Affected Small Entities

Squash flower production is classified within the North American Industry Classification 

System under other Vegetables (except Potato) and Melon Farming (NAICS 111219). The Small 

Business Administration classifies a business in this industry as small if its annual receipts are 

not more than $750,000.3The latest data on the number of farms that produce squash are found 

in the 2007 Census of Agriculture. In 2007, the average market value of squash sold by farms 

was about $17,222.4 We infer that the majority of farms producing squash and squash flowers

are small entities. 

Table 2 shows that between 2002 and 2007, the number of farms producing squash 

increased from 11,035 to 11,821, while the area from which squash was harvested decreased 

from 71,236 acres to 54,454 acres. In 2007, Michigan, California, Florida, and Georgia had 14

percent of the nation’s squash farms and 46 percent of squash acreage. 

 

3

Small Business Administration Table of Small Business Size Standards 

http://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/files/Size_Standards_Table.pdf

4

2007 U.S Census of Agriculture and NASS Statistics of Vegetables and Melons 

http://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Ag_Statistics/2011/Chapter04.pdf
5

Table 2. U.S squash: Number of farms and area harvested in leading States, 2002 and 

2007

State

Number of 

farms in 2007

Number of 

Farms in 2002

2007 2002

U.S 11,821 11,035 54,454 71,236

California 706 830 5,535 10,302

Florida 188 406 7,349 9,692

Michigan 582 802 7,513 7,341

Georgia 184 238 4,502 9,013

Wisconsin 547 625 1,003 1,243

Minessota 476 387 931 908

New Jersey 297 588 3,453 3,760

New York 742 1098 3,896 4,226

North Carolina 503 351 2,864 2,864

Arizona* 1253 49 689 324

Others 7,596 5,710 17,408 21,887

Share of U.S:

Top State 0.06 0.10 0.14 0.14

Top three states 0.17 0.25 0.37 0.41

Top five states 0.26 0.36 0.53 0.57

Highest 

production States 

(from table 1)

0.14 0.21 0.46 0.51

Source: Census of Agriculture, 2007 and 2002.

*Owned by the Navajo Reservation, therefore, they are not included in the total of number of farms.

Number Acres 

Percent 

Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Other Compliance 

Requirements

Reporting and recordkeeping requirements associated with the proposed rule are 

discussed in the rule under the heading "Paperwork Reduction Act." There would be no 

compliance costs specific to this rule for U.S. small entities.
6

Duplication, Overlap, or Conflict with Existing Rules and 

Regulations

APHIS has not identified any duplication, overlap, or conflict of the proposed rule with 

other Federal rules.

Alternatives to minimize Significant Economic Impacts of 

the Rule

Based on our review of available information, APHIS does not expect the proposed rule 

to have a significant economic impact on small entities. We have prepared this initial regulatory

flexibility analysis because our understanding of possible economic effects of the rule on small 

entities is incomplete. In the absence of apparent significant economic impacts, we have not 

identified alternatives that would minimize such impacts.