319.56-40—Peppers from certain Central American countries.
Fresh peppers (Capsicum spp.) may be imported into the United States from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua only under the following conditions and in accordance with all other applicable provisions of this subpart:
(a)
For peppers of the species Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens, Capsicum baccatum, and Capsicum chinense from areas free of Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), terms of entry are as follows:
(1)
The peppers must be grown and packed in an area that has been determined by APHIS to be free of Medfly in accordance with the procedures described in § 319.56-5 of this subpart.
(2)
A pre-harvest inspection of the growing site must be conducted by the national plant protection organization (NPPO) of the exporting country for the weevil Faustinus ovatipennis, pea leafminer, tomato fruit borer, banana moth, lantana mealybug, passionvine mealybug, melon thrips, the rust fungus Puccinia pampeana, Andean potato mottle virus, and tomato yellow mosaic virus, and if these pests are found to be generally infesting the growing site, the NPPO may not allow export from that production site until the NPPO has determined that risk mitigation has been achieved.
(3)
The peppers must be packed in insect-proof cartons or containers or covered with insect-proof mesh or plastic tarpaulin at the packinghouse for transit to the United States. These safeguards must remain intact until arrival in the United States.
(4)
The exporting country's NPPO is responsible for export certification, inspection, and issuance of phytosanitary certificates. Each consignment of peppers must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO and bearing the declaration, “These peppers were grown in an area recognized to be free of Medfly and the consignment has been inspected and found free of the pests listed in the requirements.”
(b)
For peppers of the species Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum chinense, and Capsicum pubescens from areas in which Medfly is considered to exist:
(1)
The peppers must be grown in approved production sites registered with the NPPO of the exporting country. Initial approval of the production sites will be completed jointly by the exporting country's NPPO and APHIS. The exporting country's NPPO will visit and inspect the production sites monthly, starting 2 months before harvest and continuing through until the end of the shipping season. APHIS may monitor the production sites at any time during this period.
(2)
Pepper production sites must consist of pest-exclusionary greenhouses, which must have double self-closing doors and have all other openings and vents covered with 1.6 mm (or less) screening.
(3)
Registered sites must contain traps for the detection of Medfly both within and around the production site.
(i)
Traps with an approved protein bait must be placed inside the greenhouses at a density of four traps per hectare, with a minimum of two traps per greenhouse. Traps must be serviced on a weekly basis.
(ii)
If a single Medfly is detected inside a registered production site or in a consignment, the registered production site will lose its ability to export peppers to the United States until APHIS and the exporting country's NPPO mutually determine that risk mitigation is achieved.
(iii)
Medfly traps with an approved lure must be placed inside a buffer area 500 meters wide around the registered production site, at a density of 1 trap per 10 hectares and a minimum of 10 traps. These traps must be checked at least every 7 days. At least one of these traps must be near the greenhouse. Traps must be set for at least 2 months before export and trapping must continue to the end of the harvest.
(iv)
Capture of 0.7 or more Medflies per trap per week will delay or suspend the harvest, depending on whether harvest has begun, for consignments of peppers from that production site until APHIS and the exporting country's NPPO can agree that the pest risk has been mitigated.
(v)
The greenhouse must be inspected prior to harvest for the weevil Faustinus ovatipennis, pea leafminer, tomato fruit borer, banana moth, lantana mealybug, passionvine mealybug, melon thrips, the rust fungus Puccinia pampeana, Andean potato mottle virus, and tomato yellow mosaic virus. If any of these pests, or other quarantine pests, are found to be generally infesting the greenhouse, export from that production site will be halted until the exporting country's NPPO determines that the pest risk has been mitigated.
(4)
The exporting country's NPPO must maintain records of trap placement, checking of traps, and any Medfly captures. The exporting country's NPPO must maintain an APHIS-approved quality control program to monitor or audit the trapping program. The trapping records must be maintained for APHIS' review.
(5)
The peppers must be packed within 24 hours of harvest in a pest-exclusionary packinghouse. The peppers must be safeguarded by an insect-proof mesh screen or plastic tarpaulin while in transit to the packinghouse and while awaiting packing. Peppers must be packed in insect-proof cartons or containers, or covered with insect-proof mesh or plastic tarpaulin, for transit to the United States. These safeguards must remain intact until arrival in the United States or the consignment will be denied entry into the United States.
(6)
During the time the packinghouse is in use for exporting peppers to the United States, the packinghouse may accept peppers only from registered approved production sites.
(7)
The exporting country's NPPO is responsible for export certification, inspection, and issuance of phytosanitary certificates. Each consignment of peppers must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO and bearing the declaration, “These peppers were grown in an approved production site and the consignment has been inspected and found free of the pests listed in the requirements.” The shipping box must be labeled with the identity of the production site.
(c)
For peppers of the species Capsicum pubescens from areas in which Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) is considered to exist:
(1)
The peppers must be grown in approved production sites registered with the NPPO of the exporting country. Initial approval of the production sites will be completed jointly by the exporting country's NPPO and APHIS. The exporting country's NPPO must visit and inspect the production sites monthly, starting 2 months before harvest and continuing through until the end of the shipping season. APHIS may monitor the production sites at any time during this period.
(2)
Pepper production sites must consist of pest-exclusionary greenhouses, which must have double self-closing doors and have all other openings and vents covered with 1.6 mm (or less) screening.
(3)
Registered sites must contain traps for the detection of Mexfly both within and around the production site.
(i)
Traps with an approved protein bait must be placed inside the greenhouses at a density of four traps per hectare, with a minimum of two traps per greenhouse. Traps must be serviced on a weekly basis.
(ii)
If a single Mexfly is detected inside a registered production site or in a consignment, the registered production site will lose its ability to ship under the systems approach until APHIS and the exporting country's NPPO mutually determine that risk mitigation is achieved.
(iii)
Mexfly traps with an approved protein bait must be placed inside a buffer area 500 meters wide around the registered production site, at a density of 1 trap per 10 hectares and a minimum of 10 traps. These traps must be checked at least every 7 days. At least one of these traps must be near the greenhouse. Traps must be set for at least 2 months before export, and trapping must continue to the end of the harvest.
(iv)
Capture of 0.7 or more Mexflies per trap per week will delay or suspend the harvest, depending on whether harvest has begun, for consignments of peppers from that production site until APHIS and the exporting country's NPPO can agree that the pest risk has been mitigated.
(v)
The greenhouse must be inspected prior to harvest for the weevil Faustinus ovatipennis, pea leafminer, tomato fruit borer, banana moth, lantana mealybug, passionvine mealybug, melon thrips, the rust fungus Puccinia pampeana, Andean potato mottle virus, and tomato yellow mosaic virus. If any of these pests, or other quarantine pests, are found to be generally infesting the greenhouse, export from that production site will be halted until the exporting country's NPPO determines that the pest risk has been mitigated.
(4)
The exporting country's NPPO must maintain records of trap placement, checking of traps, and any Mexfly captures. The exporting country's NPPO must maintain an APHIS-approved quality control program to monitor or audit the trapping program. The trapping records must be maintained for APHIS' review.
(5)
The peppers must be packed within 24 hours of harvest in a pest-exclusionary packinghouse. The peppers must be safeguarded by an insect-proof mesh screen or plastic tarpaulin while in transit to the packinghouse and while awaiting packing. Peppers must be packed in insect-proof cartons or containers, or covered with insect-proof mesh or plastic tarpaulin, for transit to the United States. These safeguards must remain intact until arrival in the United States or the consignment will be denied entry into the United States.
(6)
During the time the packinghouse is in use for exporting peppers to the United States, the packinghouse may accept peppers only from registered approved production sites.
(7)
The exporting country's NPPO is responsible for export certification, inspection, and issuance of phytosanitary certificates. Each consignment of peppers must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO and bearing the declaration, “These peppers were grown in an approved production site and the consignment has been inspected and found free of the pests listed in the requirements.” The shipping box must be labeled with the identity of the production site.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0579-0274)