In the August 30, 2016, Federal Register, APHIS proposed to amend its regulations to allow the importation of fresh persimmons with calyxes from Japan into the United States. As a condition of entry, the persimmons must be produced in accordance with a systems approach that would include requirements for orchard certification, orchard pest control, post-harvest safeguards, fruit culling, traceback, and sampling. In addition, the persimmons must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that they were produced under, and meet all the components of, the agreed-upon systems approach and were inspected and found to be free of quarantine pests in accordance with the proposed requirements. Comments are due October 31, 2016.
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