USDA APHIS Federal Order Announcement: Import restrictions for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and pepper (Capsicum spp.) hosts of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV)

DA -2019-28

Effective: November 22, 2019

Requirements for Fresh Fruit

To prevent the introduction of ToBRFV into the United States via fresh tomato and pepper fruit, only commercial consignments of fresh S. lycopersicum and Capsicum spp. may be imported into the United States from all countries. Commercial consignments from Mexico, Israel, and the Netherlands must be imported under permit, be subject to all applicable current requirements for the country of origin, and must meet additional applicable requirements for ToBRFV stated below.


Although ToBRFV has not been reported in Canada, because Canada imports tomato and pepper fruit from Mexico that are re-exported to this country, APHIS will also require tomato and pepper fruit from Canada to be inspected at the point of origin to ensure it is free of disease symptoms and certified by either document listed below.

• Accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by a National Plant Protection Organization of the country of origin containing the following additional declaration: “The Solanum lycopersicum and/or Capsicum spp. fruit have been inspected and been found to be free of symptoms of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus.”


OR


• Accompanied by an inspection certification document issued by the grower or packer with the following language, in lieu of a phytosanitary certificate: “The Solanum lycopersicum and/or Capsicum spp. fruit have been inspected and been found free of symptoms of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus.” The inspection certificate must include the date of the inspection, the name, title, office, and address of the person issuing the inspection certificate, as well as the names and addresses of the grower and packinghouse.


Any consignment of fresh tomato and pepper fruit arriving at a port of entry without one of the documents required above will be refused entry and be subject to re-export or destruction.


For additional information regarding this Federal Import Order, please contact Dr. Angela McMellen-Brannigan at 301-851-2314 or Angela.McMellen-Brannigan@usda.gov.

 

To read the full announcement:

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAPHIS/bulletins/26cc7ae