Public notice of the impending rule was made September 18. The comment period ends on November 16. All shipments containing solid wood packing material that depart China for the United States on or after December 17 will be subject to this interim rule. According to the rule, all shipments from China containing solid wood packing material must be accompanied by a certificate signed by an official with the Chinese government stating that the solid wood packing material was treated with preservatives, heat treated, or fumigated before leaving China. Commercial shipments from China that do not contain any solid wood packing material must include an exporter statement indicating that the shipment contains no such material.
China now has firsthand knowledge of the damage in both New York and Chicago.
USDA will work closely with China to ensure the new quarantine requirements are put in place in a timely fashion.