Those in the U. S. potato industry concerned about the spread from Europe of the dreaded potato brown rot have until July 22 to get comments to APHIS on the matter.
APHIS, in an effort to prevent the introduction of brown rot, will be amending regulations to require an additional declaration on phytosanitary certificates on potatoes entering the United States
The additional declaration must state that either the articles of Pelargonium spp. and Solanum spp. were produced in a production facility that has been tested and found to be free of Ralstonia solanacearum races or is not known to occur in the region in which the articles were produced.
APHIS recently discovered that articles of Pelargonium spp. and Solanum spp. imported into the United States pose a risk of carrying the bacterial strain, which causes brown rot.
The interim rule was effective May 16. Comments received before July 22 will be taken. Additional information may be found at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.