Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/09/21/E9-22631/regulation-of-the-interstate-movement-of-lemons-from-an-area-quarantined-for-mediterranean-fruit-fly
Timestamp: 2018-07-17 23:36:02
Document Index: 181745329

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 301', '§\u2009301', '§\u2009301', '§\u2009301', 'art 305', '§\u2009305', '§\u2009301', '§\u2009305', '§\u2009301', '§\u2009301', '§\u2009301']

Federal Register :: Regulation of the Interstate Movement of Lemons From an Area Quarantined for Mediterranean Fruit Fly
A Proposed Rule by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on 09/21/2009
E9-22631
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/E9-22631 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/E9-22631
Start Preamble Start Printed Page 48013
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/​fdmspublic/​component/​main?​main=​DocketDetail&​d=​APHIS-2009-0002 to submit or view comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
The Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly, Ceratitis capitata [Wiedemann]) is one of the world's most destructive pests of fruits and vegetables. The short life cycle of the Medfly allows rapid development of serious outbreaks, which can cause severe economic losses. Heavy infestations can cause complete loss of crops.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) enforces regulations in 7 CFR part 301, “Domestic Quarantine Notices,” that are designed to prevent the interstate spread of pests that are new to or not widely distributed within the United States. The regulations in “Subpart—Fruit Flies,” contained in §§ 301.32 through 301.32-10 (referred to below as the regulations), are intended to prevent the spread of fruit flies designated as plant pests to noninfested areas of the United States. To this end, the regulations impose restrictions on the interstate movement of articles that are hosts of fruit flies or whose movement could otherwise spread fruit flies from areas quarantined because of fruit flies. We refer to these articles as “regulated articles.” The table in § 301.32-2(a), “Regulated Articles,” lists articles subject to domestic quarantine regulations for several species of fruit fly, including Medfly. While lemons (Citrus limon) are included in the table as a regulated article for several types of fruit flies, a footnote to the table indicates that smooth-skinned lemons harvested for packing by commercial packinghouses are not regulated articles for Medfly.
The decision to exempt smooth-skinned lemons harvested for packing by commercial packinghouses was originally based on research published by scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS).[1] Citing their own research and other studies that examined lemons as a potential Medfly host, ARS scientists noted that rind toughness and thickness generally impede Medflies from infesting lemons. Moreover, chemicals within the lemon rind are toxic to Medfly eggs and any larvae that manage to hatch there. They also determined that lemons grown and packed commercially are less likely to be infested with plant pests, including Medfly, than noncommercial consignments.
However, in 2006 live Medfly larvae were intercepted in commercial shipments of lemons from Spain, leading us to re-examine whether lemons should be designated as regulated articles in areas quarantined for Medfly. We reviewed over 90 scientific publications, including the above-referenced 1984 study. We also examined findings from two site visits to Medfly-infested lemon-producing areas in Spain and Argentina, as well as details of the Medfly infestation in Spanish commercial lemons. Our conclusions appear in a report titled “Lemon (Citrus limon) as a host for Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly; Ceratitis capitata): A scientific review and status report” (January 2008). Copies of the report may be obtained from the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site (see ADDRESSES above for instructions for accessing Regulations.gov), or retrieved online at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/​plant_​health/​plant_​pest_​info/​fruit_​flies/​index.shtml.Start Printed Page 48014
Based on our review, we have determined that lemons are a conditional non-host for Medfly, meaning that while Medfly generally does not infest lemons, it will do so under certain conditions. For example, green lemons are not hosts of Medfly, but as they mature they become more susceptible to infestation. It is likely that light yellow lemons are not at a maturity stage where they would be susceptible to Medfly; only damaged or dark yellow, overly mature fruit are considered suitable hosts.
We are therefore proposing to amend the entry for lemons in the table of regulated articles in § 301.32-2(a) by removing the exemption for smooth-skinned lemons harvested for packing by commercial packinghouses, and instead indicating that all varieties of yellow lemons are regulated articles for Medfly.
We are also proposing to amend the phytosanitary treatments regulations in 7 CFR part 305 by updating the table in § 305.2(h)(2)(ii), which includes approved treatments for regulated articles moved interstate from areas quarantined for fruit flies, to correct two outdated references to the former locations of specific provisions of the fruit fly regulations.
2. In § 301.32-2, paragraph (a), footnote 2 to the table is amended by removing the words “Smooth-skinned lemons harvested for packing by commercial packinghouses are not” and adding the words “Only yellow lemons are” in their place.
4. In § 305.2, the table in paragraph (h)(2)(ii) is amended by removing, from the column titled “Commodity”, the citations “§ 301.78-2(a)” and “§ 301.99-2(b)” and adding the citation “§ 301.32-2(a)” in their place.