USDA considers Chinese wooden handicraft imports

USDA considers Chinese wooden handicraft imports    The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has proposed regulations to allow for the import of certain Chinese wooden handicrafts into the United States.
   In 2005, the agency suspended many of these imports until a thorough pest risk was conducted.
   APHIS noted that in recent years wood decorative items and craft products from China have been entering the United States in increasing volumes. Since 2002, the agency has issued more than 300 emergency action notices for pest-infested wooden handicrafts from China, including artificial trees manufactured from a composite of natural and synthetic materials, garden trellis towers, home and garden wood d'cor, and craft items. In 2004, APHIS intercepted live wood boring beetles on artificial tree components made in China, and decided in 2005 to ban most of these products from entering the country.
   'Based on the evidence in a recent pest risk analysis, APHIS has determined that these articles can be safely imported from China, provided certain conditions are met,' the agency said in a Federal Register notice published on Thursday.
   Under the proposed rule, Chinese-origin wooden handicrafts would need to be heat treated to at least 71 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least 75 minutes or heat treated with moisture reduction, including kiln drying, to be allowed entry into the United States. Handicrafts less than 6 inches in diameter could be treated with methyl bromide instead, the agency said.
   The articles would also have to be stored, handled or protected in a way that will exclude any infestation of plant pests throughout the treatment and export process. A phytosanitary certificate issued by China's national plant protection organization would need to be included in the shipment and contain an additional declaration stating that the handicrafts were treated and inspected and found free of quarantine pests.
   In addition, under the proposed regulations, all individual packages of wooden handicrafts would need to be labeled with a merchandising tag containing the identity of the product manufacturer. 'This tag would help APHIS track shipments should a recall be required,' the agency said.
   APHIS said it would accept comments on the proposed regulations through June 8. For more details, read the Federal Register notice. ' Chris Gillis