A U.S. Department of Agriculture pilot program begun last September to allow ports in South Florida to handle blueberries and grapes from Peru and Uraguay might have had minimal impact on the Port of Miami and Port Everglades, but officials at both call the program a winning prelude to port expansion.
"The South Florida ports were allowed to accept these foreign shipments as long as the fruit has been chilled for at least 17 days prior to entry," said USDA port foreman Roderick Hunter. "That protects against the transmission of fruit flies."
The program will continue in Miami and Port Everglades during the coming season, Hunter said. For decades, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service had required the fruit to enter at U.S. ports above the 39th parallel — which cuts through the center of the country — to protect domestic crops from being infested.
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