PPQ Postentry Quarantine (PEQ) Release Policy

 

 SUBJECT:  PPQ Postentry Quarantine (PEQ) Release Policy

 TO: STATE AND TERRITORY AGRICULTURAL REGULATORY OFFICIALS

The Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is issuing this notice to clarify the current PEQ Release Policy.

Background:

7 CFR 319.37-7(d)(7) (Postentry quarantine growing agreements) state that certain restricted imported material will be grown "...in postentry quarantine for a period of 2 years..." The intent of PEQ is to detect viruses and other latent pathogens on specific host plants, as specified in the regulations.  The timing of inspections depends on the host-pathogen interaction and growing season.  For many years, certain PEQ-regulated plants have undergone risk evaluations that provided scientific evidence to support final releases in less than 2 full years.  A key factor of such eligibility depends on the country from which the material is imported, the time of year imported, and the types of pests associated with the material.

Issue:

In some cases, PPQ has released shipments from PEQ after 2 growing season inspections and subsequent testing, if required, but before the full 24-month quarantine period.  The decisions were based upon reasonable biological criteria and required a minimum of 2 calendar year inspections, 1 in each of the 2 consecutive growing seasons.  They also required negative symptom expression and a State Plant Regulatory Official's (SPRO) recommendation to release.

The National PEQ Coordinator has worked to minimize this type of release program-wide in an effort to adhere more closely to the regulations and permit conditions.  In order to maintain consistency among growers and with past practices, PPQ Plant Health Programs recommends that this operational release policy of less than 2 years continue; however, these releases will only be authorized based on a SPRO recommendation.  In addition, all shipments shall meet the inspection and testing requirements for the plant pests and pathogen(s) of concern and must complete 2 sequential growing season inspections occurring within 2 consecutive calendar years. Specific detailed PEQ inspection information and guidance is available, starting on pages 4-3 of the PEQ Manual: (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/domestic/downloads/postentry.pdf).

For additional information regarding this policy, please contact Gregg B. Goodman, National PEQ Coordinator, at 301-734-0948 or Gregg.B.Goodman@aphis.usda.gov

/s/ Paul R. Eggert for

Rebecca A. Bech
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine

Attachment: PEQ Policy PPQ DA-2011-01

 

• PPQ_PEQ_Policy.docx