USDA IMPLEMENTS RULES FOR IMPORTING CHILEAN WOOD CHIPS

USDA IMPLEMENTS RULES FOR IMPORTING CHILEAN WOOD CHIPS    The U.S. Department of Agriculture has implemented new pest treatment rules for importing Monterey pine wood chips from Chile.
   The new rules, which take effect May 22, allow for the importation of wood chips from Chile after they have been surface-treated with special pesticide.
   The USDA also requires these shipments to be accompanied by certificates that state wood chips were derived from “live, healthy, plantation-grown trees” that were free from plant pests and that the logs were debarked according to U.S. rules before being chipped.
   Chile’s Monterey pine wood chips are in high demand in the U.S. paper-making industry.