USDA FINALIZES PROCESS FOR CHINESE RULE ON SOLID-WOOD PACKING MATERIAL

USDA FINALIZES PROCESS FOR CHINESE RULE ON SOLID-WOOD PACKING MATERIAL    The U.S. Department of Agriculture has finalized its process for certifying coniferous solid-wood packing material exported to China.
   China's Ministry of Agriculture declared last year that U.S. coniferous solid-wood packing has been found to carry pinewood nematode, a pest association with pine wilt disease. China implemented rules on Jan. 1 that banned coniferous solid-wood packing from entering the country unless it was properly heat-treated.
   There is one change in the USDA's finalized compliance process: “heat treatment must be performed in the United States, rather than in other countries,” said Richard L. Dunkle, deputy administrator for plant protection and quarantine with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), a division of USDA.
   Coniferous solid-wood packing material must be heat-treated to a core temperature of 56 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. APHIS created special forms, available on its Web site (https://www.aphis.usda.gov) for complying with the Chinese rules.
   Heat-treated shipments must be accompanied with a form, which must be endorsed by a local USDA, APHIS, PPQ or state cooperator office.
   If no coniferous solid-wood packing is present in the shipment, the exporter can self-certify the shipment with a signed statement on company letter head. Exporters are also encouraged to attach a copy of the Chinese declaration of no wood packing material, also available on the APHIS Web site.
   For additional information, contact the Web site or call Russell Caplen, program analyst, PPQ, APHIS, at (301) 734-8537.