News and Media

APHIS Makes Minor Changes to Plants for Planting Regulations

APHIS published a rule today, effective January 15, 2015, that will make some minor changes to plants for planting regulations, including:

  • Adding Turkey to the list of countries from which imports of Chrysanthemum spp., Leucanthemella serotina, and Nipponanthemum nipponicum plants for planting are prohibited due to the presence of chrysanthemum white rust;

  • Requiring permits for the import of any seed that is coated, pelleted, or embedded in a substrate that obscures visibility;

  • Adding an alternate additional declaration on phytosanitary certificates that accompany plants for planting imported from a country in which potato cyst nematode is known to occur;

  • Establishing conditions for importing Prunus spp. plants for planting from Canada that address the presence of plum pox potyvirus in that country; and

  • Authorizing the import of Dianthus spp. (carnations) from the Netherlands under the same conditions provided for Great Britain.

These changes will relieve unnecessary restrictions, update existing provisions, and make the regulations easier to understand and implement.

Stakeholders should not confuse this final rule APHIS-2008-0071 that amends the plants for planting regulations, with the proposed rule APHIS-2008-0011-0001 to restructure the plants for planting regulations.

To view the final rule APHIS-2008-0071, go to http://www.regulations.gov/index.jsp#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2008-0071.

To view the proposed rule APHIS-2008-0011-0001, go to http://www.regulations.gov/index.jsp#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2008-0011-0001