APHIS Seeks Comments on a Pest Risk Assessment and Risk Management Document for Imports of Fresh Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Rhizome from Samoa into the United States (including[...]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is making available for comment a pest risk assessment and risk management document that proposes to allow the import of fresh turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizomes from Samoa into the United States, including U.S. territories, with certain phytosanitary measures in place to address the risk of noxious weeds and plant pests and diseases.

APHIS is proposing the following mitigation measures to import fresh turmeric:

• Importation of commercial consignments only;
• Phytosanitary certificate must be issued by the national plant protection organization of Samoa stating that the consignment was inspected and found free of quarantine plant pests and diseases; and
• The consignments are subject to inspection upon entry into a port.

APHIS has evaluated the plant pest risks associated with the importation of fresh turmeric rhizomes from Samoa and determined that they can be safely imported subject to the mitigation measures listed above.

APHIS will consider all comments that we receive on or before December 27, 2021. You may submit comments by going to www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS-2021-0034 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, then select the Comment button in the list of documents.