USDA REVIEWS PROCESS FOR COMMODITY PEST-RISK ANALYSIS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to make its procedures for
assessing pest risks of imported and exported commodities more efficient.
The agency’s current pest-risk analysis process is designed to protect
the country’s plant resources from outside pests. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service issues more than 5,000 permits a year for the importation of plants and
plant products.
As a member of the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs and North American
Free Trade Agreement, the United States is obliged to make import and export decisions
based on scientific-based plant pest-risk assessments.
USDA plans to hold a public meeting on Nov. 10 in Washington to discuss its
pest-risk analysis process. Written comments will be accepted by the agency through Dec.
7.