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CSMS # 60840588 - APHIS Extends Protections for World’s Plants Through Implementation of Revised Lacey Act Provisions

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing the implementation of Phase VII of the Lacey Act provisions. APHIS is finalizing the associated declaration requirement required by Congress for plant and wood products. In this phase, declarations will be required for all remaining plant product Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes that are not 100-percent composite materials.

If an importer imports items that contain plant products, but do not currently file a Lacey Act declaration, they likely will need to file under Phase VII. Phase VII includes the broadest range of items, items as varied as industrial or medicinal plants, handbags, plywood, laminated wood, tools, matches with natural wood stems, products of natural cork, products of bamboo and rattan, footwear and more. Plant and wood products included in past phases include timber, some furniture, essential oils, wood cases and trunks, and woodwind instruments and their parts and accessories.

The full enforcement schedule is available on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/import-information/lacey-act.

Phase VII of the enforcement schedule will begin 6 months after publication in the Federal Register. The public can comment on the products to be covered under Phase VII of the enforcement plan, as well as on whether any additional Harmonized Tariff Schedule chapters should be included in the current phase-in schedule. You can view the products included in Phase VII in the Federal Register notice: Federal Register :: Public Inspection: Implementation of Revised Lacey Act Provisions

APHIS will consider all comments that we receive on or before July 30, 2024. Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS-2008-0119 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, then select the Comment button in the list of documents.

For more information please contact: APHISPress@USDA.Gov