USDA provides database for produce import requirements

USDA provides database for produce import requirements The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has released a new database for importers to check on the latest requirements for fruit and vegetable shipments.
   The Fruits and Vegetable Import Requirements (FAVIR) database allows importers to search for authorized fruits and vegetables by commodity or country, and determine the general requirements for their importation into the United States. FAVIR will provide emergency pest notifications to alert users if there is a change in the import status of a commodity or country, the USDA said.
   The database also serves as a regulatory reference for APHIS officials and Customs and Border Protection agricultural inspectors, the department said.
   APHIS developed FAVIR in response to the July 2007 rulemaking, known as Quarantine 56 or Q56 revision, which established a streamlined approach for the importation of certain fruits and vegetables without specific prior rulemaking.
   For more details, access www.aphis.usda.gov/favir/info.shtml.