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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 20, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69640-69641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-27703]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2013-0052]

Notice of Decision To Authorize the Importation of Swiss Chard 
From Colombia Into the Continental United States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 69641]]

SUMMARY: We are advising the public of our decision to authorize the 
importation into the continental United States of Swiss chard from 
Colombia. Based on the findings of a pest risk analysis, which we made 
available to the public for review and comment through a previous 
notice, we have determined that the application of one or more 
designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the 
risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via 
the importation of Swiss chard from Colombia.

DATES: Effective: November 20, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Dorothy Wayson, Senior Regulatory 
Policy Specialist, Plant Health Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-2036.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Under the regulations in ``Subpart-Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 
319.56-1 through 319.56-61, referred to below as the regulations), the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture prohibits or restricts the importation of 
fruits and vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the 
world to prevent plant pests from being introduced into and spread 
within the United States.
    Section 319.56-4 of the regulations contains a performance-based 
process for approving the importation of commodities that, based on the 
findings of a pest risk analysis (PRA), can be safely imported subject 
to one or more of the designated phytosanitary measures listed in 
paragraph (b) of that section. Under that process, APHIS publishes a 
notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the PRA 
that evaluates the risks associated with the importation of a 
particular fruit or vegetable. Following the close of the 60-day 
comment period, APHIS may begin issuing permits for importation of the 
fruit or vegetable subject to the identified designated measures if: 
(1) No comments were received on the PRA; (2) the comments on the PRA 
revealed that no changes to the PRA were necessary; or (3) changes to 
the PRA were made in response to public comments, but the changes did 
not affect the overall conclusions of the analysis and the 
Administrator's determination of risk.
    In accordance with that process, we published a notice\1\ in the 
Federal Register on July 8, 2013 (78 FR 40688-40689, Docket No. APHIS-
2013-0052), in which we announced the availability, for review and 
comment, of a PRA that evaluated the risks associated with the 
importation into the continental United States of Swiss chard (Beta 
vulgaris ssp. cicla (L.) Koch) from Colombia. The PRA consisted of a 
risk assessment identifying pests of quarantine significance that could 
follow the pathway of importation of Swiss chard from Colombia into the 
continental United States and a risk management document identifying 
phytosanitary measures to be applied to that commodity to mitigate the 
pest risk. We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending on 
September 6, 2013. We did not receive any comments by that date.
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    \1\ To view the notice and the PRA, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2013-0052.
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    Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in Sec.  319.56-
4(c)(2)(ii), we are announcing our decision to authorize the 
importation into the continental United States of Swiss chard from 
Colombia subject to the following phytosanitary measures:
     The Swiss chard must be imported in commercial 
consignments only;
     The Swiss chard is subject to inspection at the port of 
entry; and
     The Swiss chard must be accompanied by a phytosanitary 
certificate issued by the national plant protection organization of 
Colombia with the additional declaration stating that the consignment 
was inspected and found free of Copitarsia incommoda and Liriomyza 
huidobrensis.
    These conditions will be listed in the Fruits and Vegetables Import 
Requirements database (available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/favir). 
In addition to these specific measures, Swiss chard from Colombia will 
be subject to the general requirements listed in Sec.  319.56-3 that 
are applicable to the importation of all fruits and vegetables.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 450, 7701-7772, and 7781-7786; 21 U.S.C. 
136 and 136a; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 13th day of November 2013.
Michael C. Gregoire,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-27703 Filed 11-19-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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