Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending the entry requirements for the importation of fresh blueberry fruit (Vaccinium spp.) from Chile into the United States. Chile has divided Region VIII (Biobio), which is known to have European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana or EGVM), into two regions: Biobio (Region VIII) and Nuble (Region XVI). Therefore, APHIS is adding Region XVI to the list of regions in Chile that are known to have EGVM.
Additionally, APHIS is revising related port of entry restrictions. Prior to this Federal Order, U.S. ports with approved fumigation facilities were required to request receiving Chilean blueberries from regions known to have EGVM. Based on the volume of these requests and the absence of EGVM detections at ports of entry for the last four years, APHIS will allow blueberry shipments into all ports with approved fumigation facilities. The list of approved facilities can be found in Appendix D of the APHIS treatment manual.
To prevent the introduction of EGVM into the United States, APHIS requires blueberry shipments from regions VI, VII, VIII, and XVI (EGVM-affected regions of Chile) destined to the United States to be fumigated with methyl bromide at the point of origin or at the first U.S. port of arrival in accordance with 7 US. Code of Federal Regulations Part 305. In addition, consignments from regions in Chile other than VI, VII, VIII, and XVI, that do not require fumigation, are subject to an increased rate of inspection through the APHIS preclearance program at the port of export. Due to the high EGVM population in Chile during recent seasons and the in-country detection of the moth on fresh blueberries, APHIS has determined that these additional requirements are necessary to prevent the entry of EGVM into the United States.
For additional information regarding this Federal Order, please contact Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist Tony Román at 301-851-2242 or at Juan.A.Roman@aphis.usda.gov.
Source: USDA APHIS
