STUART OFFERS COMMENTS, QUESTIONS ON APHIS INSPECTION PROPOSAL

At a public hearing held Friday (May 26) in Miami, FFVA President Mike Stuart asked USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) officials a number of questions regarding APHIS’ proposal to revise its fruit and vegetable import regulations. Stuart was the only member of the agriculture industry to testify.

The proposal would consolidate the general provisions of fruit and vegetable import requirements into one section of the regulations, and then specify individual commodity provisions. The proposal also would establish a notice-based process to allow APHIS to approve certain, new petitions without going through the rulemaking process, as is currently required. This, it is argued, would expedite the import petition process, which, in turn, may facilitate the export of U.S. agricultural commodities.

“We support efforts to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of APHIS in accomplishing its mission. But, with the pest and disease challenges Florida producers have faced over the past decade, we cannot afford to see our safeguarding systems eroded,” Stuart said. “This proposal must be consistent with APHIS’s mission, and not be in conflict with it. In this case, speed is a virtue only if the quality of the safeguarding process is enhanced,” he concluded.