APHIS Factsheet

Plant Protection and Quarantine May 2011

APHIS Import 

Requirements: 

A Quick Guide 

for Commercial 

Importers of Plant 

and Animal Products

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 

responsible for establishing regulations for the importation of animal and plant products and by-products. 

This factsheet is a quick reference guide to assist importers and brokers in determining which APHIS entry 

requirements apply to imports of fruits and vegetables, 

meat, plants and seeds, live animals, hides, trophies, 

or other agricultural products. 

 Plants and plant products include:

• Bulbs

• Cuttings

• Live plants

• Root crowns

• Seeds

• Cut fl owers and greenery

• Fruits and vegetables

• Miscellaneous products (such as dried fl oral 

arrangements, craft items, or soil)

 In short, if it is a plant, was a plant, or could 

become a plant, we regulate it!

 Importers can use the APHIS Fruit and Vegetable 

Import Requirements (FAVIR) database to check the 

admissibility of fruits and vegetables. The FAVIR 

database is available at www.aphis.usda.gov/favir/. 

The APHIS manuals guiding the importation of plants 

and plant products are available electronically at 

www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/

online_manuals.shtml.

 The importation of plants regulated by the 

Convention on International Trade in Endangered 

Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the 

Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires special 

documentation. For more information about permits for 

items regulated by CITES and ESA, contact the APHIS 

Permit Unit or visit www.cites.org. 

 The importation of Federal Noxious Weeds is 

prohibited, except under special circumstances, to 

prevent the introduction of nonindigenous invasive 

plants into the United States. For more information, 

visit www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/

weeds. 

 For more information about permit requirements 

for importing plants and plant products, contact the 

APHIS Permit Unit: 

4700 River Road, Unit 133

Riverdale, MD 20737

Telephone: (301) 734-0841 or 

(877) 770-5990 (toll-free)

Fax: (301) 734–5786 

permits@aphis.usda.gov 

www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/

plant_imports/
 APHIS regulates animal products and by-products 

to prevent the entry and spread of foreign animal 

diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, 

foot-and-mouth disease, and highly pathogenic avian 

infl uenza (H5N1). Prior to purchasing or importing 

animal products, animal by-products, or products 

containing animal materials, you should ensure that 

they comply with APHIS regulations. 

 Animal products and animal by-products include:

• Animal waste and related by-products

• Blood and related by-products

• Bones and related by-products

• Casings

• Eggs and egg products from poultry, game birds, 

or other birds

• Hides and related by-products

• Live animals and related materials

• Milk and milk products

• Organs

• Meat and meat products

○ Equine (horses, etc.)

○ Poultry (chickens, etc.)

○ Ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats, etc.)

○ Swine (pigs, etc.)

• Miscellaneous products, including pharmaceuticals 

and dietary supplements

• Trophies

• Pet food and livestock, poultry, and aquaculture 

feed

 Importers can refer to the APHIS Animal Product 

Manual for more information on specifi c regulations 

guiding the importation of animal products and 

by-products. The manual is available at www.aphis.

usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/

downloads/apm.pdf.

 For more information about importing animal 

products and by-products, contact APHIS National 

Center for Import and Export (NCIE): 

4700 River Road, Unit 39

Riverdale, MD 20737

Telephone: (301) 734–3277/8364 

Fax: (301) 734–4704/8226 

AskNCIE.Products@aphis.usda.gov 

 www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/animals/

animal_import/animal_imports.shtml

 For questions about operations at U.S. ports of 

entry, contact APHIS Veterinary Regulatory Support:

4700 River Road, Unit 129

Riverdale, MD 20737

Telephone: (301) 734-7633 

Fax: (301) 734-8538 

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination 

in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national 

origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, 

familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic 

information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an 

individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. 

(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with 

disabilities who require alternative means for communication of 

program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should 

contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice 

and TDD). To fi le a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, 

Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. , 

Washington , D.C. 20250–9410 , or call (800) 795–3272 (voice) or 

(202) 720–6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and 

employer.