Preclearance Programs

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Preclearance Programs
Overview
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Thomas P. Sutton

• Preclearance Operations Coordinator (Ranger)
• USDA/APHIS/PPQ
• Riverdale, Maryland

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Preclearance Programs

• Activities

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Preclearance

• Argentina
• Apples
• Pears
• Blueberries
• Brazil
• Mangoes
• Chile
• Stonefruit
• Grapes
• Kiwi, Lime
• Cut flowers

S. America
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Preclearance

• Ecuador
• Mangoes
• Peru
• Mangoes

S. America
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Preclearance

• Mexico
• Mangoes
• Citrus

Mexico
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Preclearance

• Costa Rica
• Mangoes
• Guatemala
• Mangoes
• Nicaragua
• Mangoes
• Haiti
• Mangoes
• Honduras
• Mangoes

C. America
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Preclearance

• Netherlands
• Belgium
• England
• Ireland
• Israel
• Scotland
• Turkey
• Flower bulbs

Europe
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Preclearance

• Spain
• Clementines
• Lemons
• Oranges

Europe
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Preclearance

• Korea
• Sand Pears
• Mandarin Oranges
• Chestnuts
• Japan
• Sand Pears
• Unshu Orange
• Fuji Apple
• Philippines
• Mangoes

Asia
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Preclearance

• Australia
• Cottonseed
• New Zealand
• Apples
• Pear
• Nashi Pear

Australia
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Preclearance

• South Africa
• Grapes
• Apples
• Pears
• Oranges

Africa
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Preclearance

• commodity inspection
• pre-clearance of military cargo, personnel,
  household effects, mail and privately owned
  vehicles
• methyl bromide fumigations
• cold treatments
• cold treatment carrier/ship certification
• hot water immersion
• vapor heat treatment

• Future Irradiation

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Preclearance Why?

• Systems Approach Minimize Risk
• Field Inspections
• Trapping Programs and Protocols
• Automated Random Sampling
• Inspections Non Target Pests/Hitchhikers
• Fruit Cutting
• Treatment Supervision and Certification

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Preclearance Why?

• Cooperation of National Plant Protection
  Organization (NPPO)
• Many activities carried out by NPPO
• Additional Pest Information
• Assurances of Activities Conducted In
  Participating Countries
• Higher Level of Inspection
• Offshore Mitigation

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Preclearance Why?

• Expedite Trade
• Minimal Inspection or Monitoring on Arrival
• Quicker Access to Market
• Rejections Less Costly
• Costs Full Recovery Program All Charges Paid
  By Participating Exporters
• Requirement for Certain High Risk Commodities
  Japanese Citrus, Korean Pears, etc
• Offshore Monitoring of Facilities

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Preclearance Work Performed By

• Preclearance Operations Coordinators
• PPQ Officers
• Retired PPQ Officers
• IS Officers
• FSN/ASN Inspectors
• National Inspectors

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APHIS POLICIES REGULATING PRECLEARANCE PROGRAMS

• Existence of a funding agreement
• Invitation by host country
• All exporters registered by NPPO

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RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE NPPO

• Active participation
• Draft and abide by the work plan
• Provide support
• Administrative
• Statistical
• Coordinate daily inspection schedules
• Provide adequate inspectional staff
• Perform monitoring
• Perform growing season inspections (GSI)
• Conduct commodity inspections
• Provide all necessary forms
• Provide or arrange for identification
• Issue and sign all phytosanitary certificates

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RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COOPERATOR

• Abide by the work plan and all applicable
  regulations
• Provide all necessary funds
• Provide logistical support
• Obtain any necessary permits and licenses and
  comply with applicable safety and industry
  standards

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APHIS RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide program management and supervision
• Provide adequate inspection staff
• Review work plan and provide input
• Monitor the program
• Provide accounting of funds

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THE WORK PLAN

• Spells out general requirements
• Spells out standard operational procedures
• Spells out the responsibilities of each partner

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FINANCIAL AGREEMENT

• Spells out the financial responsibility of the
  cooperator
• No preclearance program can exist without a
  signed Financial Agreement

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TREATMENTS

• All treatments are according to PPQ schedules
• APHIS must certify facility
• APHIS must supervise, monitor or safeguard
• Types of treatments
• Preventative
• Hot water dip
• MB (or other) fumigation
• Pesticide dip
• Reconditioning
• MB (or other) fumigation

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SAFEGUARDING

• Most shipments occur within several days of
  inspection
• Material held for longer than 24 hours must be
  safeguarded
• Precleared lots must be readily identified
• Precleared lots must be kept separated from other
  lots

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IDENTITY

• Maintain commodity identity to allow for
  tracebacks

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TRACKING AND TRACING

• Traceability must be guaranteed
• Each lot must be traceable to the facility of
  origin
• This can be done through each companys internal
  tracing system or through a national system

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SHIPPING REQUIREMENTS

• Only approved packing material can be used
• Only new, unused , clean cartons can be used
• All pallets, trucks, ocean/air containers must be
  clean and pest-free
• Bills of lading, air waybills must bear
  Precleared for USA statement
• Phytosanitary certificates must also have the
  Precleared statement
• PPQ 203 forms Foreign Site Certificate of
  Inspection
• and/or Treatment

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Mango Hot-Water Treatment

• Hot-Water Immersion Tanks in Peru

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Mango Wash

• Mangoes cleaned of dirt and residue before
  entering Treatment Tanks

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Mango Treatment

• Treated in Hot Water Minimum 115o F

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Mango Packing

• After treatment, Mangoes are packed in
  Quarantine/ Screened Area

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Mango Shipping

• Boxes stamped with facility number and statement
  APHIS Hot Water Treated

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USDA APHIS PPQ