Notice2025-13763
Notice of Decision To Authorize Importation of Phalaenopsis Spp. Orchid Plants for Planting in Approved Growing Media From Germany and the Netherlands Into the United States
Primary source
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Published
July 22, 2025
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Abstract
We are advising the public of our decision to authorize the importation of Phalaenopsis spp. orchid plants from Germany and the Netherlands in approved growing media into the United States. As a condition of entry, Phalaenopsis spp. orchid plants in approved growing media from Germany and the Netherlands will have to meet all relevant requirements included in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plants for Planting Manual and detailed in a bilateral workplan. This action will allow for the importation of Phalaenopsis spp. orchid plants for planting from Germany and the Netherlands in approved growing media while providing protection against the introduction of plant pests.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 138 (Tuesday, July 22, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 138 (Tuesday, July 22, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 34413]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-13763]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2024-0001]
Notice of Decision To Authorize Importation of Phalaenopsis Spp.
Orchid Plants for Planting in Approved Growing Media From Germany and
the Netherlands Into the United States
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public of our decision to authorize the
importation of Phalaenopsis spp. orchid plants from Germany and the
Netherlands in approved growing media into the United States. As a
condition of entry, Phalaenopsis spp. orchid plants in approved growing
media from Germany and the Netherlands will have to meet all relevant
requirements included in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plants for
Planting Manual and detailed in a bilateral workplan. This action will
allow for the importation of Phalaenopsis spp. orchid plants for
planting from Germany and the Netherlands in approved growing media
while providing protection against the introduction of plant pests.
DATES: Imports may be authorized beginning July 22, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Narasimha Chary Samboju, Senior
Regulatory Policy Specialist, PPQ, APHIS, 1400 Independence SW,
Washington, DC 20250; (301) 851-2038;
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#400e21322133292d28216e036e13212d222f2a350021302829336e353324216e272f36"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="327c534053415b5f5a531c711c61535f505d58477253425a5b411c474156531c555d44">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under the regulations in ``Subpart H-Plants for Planting'' (7 CFR
319.37-1 through 319.37-23, referred to below as the regulations), the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits or restricts the importation
of plants for planting (including living plants, plant parts, seeds,
and plant cuttings) to prevent the introduction of quarantine pests
into the United States.
Section 319.37-10 restricts the importation of plants for planting
in approved growing media, with exceptions. Paragraph (d) of Sec.
319.37-10 states that certain types of plants for planting, as listed
in the USDA Plants for Planting Manual, may be imported when they are
established in a growing medium approved by the Administrator and
produced in accordance with additional requirements specified in the
manual.
Section 319.37-20 contains provisions for making changes to the
list of plants for planting that may be imported in approved growing
media, as well as restrictions for the importation of those types of
plants for planting beyond the general restrictions in Sec. Sec.
319.37-5 through 319.37-11. To initiate a change to the list, APHIS
will publish in the Federal Register a notice for public comment
announcing our proposal to add, change, or remove restrictions on the
importation of a specific type of plants for planting. After close of
the comment period, we will review comments and issue a second notice
announcing the specific restrictions, if any, that APHIS has determined
to be necessary to mitigate pest risk. Any changes to the list of types
of plants for planting whose importation is subject to additional
restrictions, and the specific restrictions applicable to them, will be
made to the USDA Plants for Planting Manual and the Agricultural
Commodity Import Requirements database (ACIR).\1\
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\1\ <a href="https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/">https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/</a>.
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In accordance with that process, we published a notice \2\ in the
Federal Register on November 6, 2024 (89 FR 87999-88000, Docket No.
APHIS-2024-0001) in which we announced the availability, for review and
comment, of pest risk analyses that evaluated the risks associated with
the importation of Phalaenopsis spp. orchid plants from Germany and the
Netherlands in approved growing media into the United States. The pest
risk analyses consisted of a pest risk assessment identifying pests of
quarantine significance that could follow the pathway of the
importation of Phalaenopsis spp. orchid plants into the United States
from Germany in growing media, and a similar pest risk assessment for
the Netherlands. The pest risk analyses also consisted of a risk
management document (RMD) identifying phytosanitary measures to be
applied to the importation of Phalaenopsis spp. orchid plants from
Germany to mitigate the pest risk, and a similar RMD for the
Netherlands.
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\2\ To view the notice and the supporting documents, go to
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>. Enter APHIS-2024-0001 in the Search field.
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We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days, ending on January
6, 2025. We received no comments by that date.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 319.37-20(c)(2), we are
announcing our decision to authorize the importation into the United
States of Phalaenopsis spp. orchid plants from Germany and the
Netherlands in approved growing media subject to the phytosanitary
measures identified in the RMDs that accompanied the initial notice.
These conditions will be listed in the USDA, APHIS Agricultural
Commodity Import Requirements (ACIR) database (<a href="https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/">https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/</a>).\3\ In addition to these specific measures,
each shipment must be subject to the general requirements listed in
Sec. 319.37-3 that are applicable to the importation of all plants for
planting.
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\3\ On September 30, 2022, the APHIS Fruits and Vegetables
Import Requirements (FAVIR) database was replaced by the ACIR
database.
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Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.), the recordkeeping and burden requirements associated
with this action are included under the Office of Management and Budget
control number 0579-0049.
E-Government Act Compliance
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is committed to
compliance with the E- Government Act to promote the use of the
internet and other information technologies, to provide increased
opportunities for citizen access to Government information and
services, and for other purposes. For information pertinent to E-
Government Act compliance related to this notice, please contact
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5011001819037e00021110252334317e373f26"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c687968e8f95e896948786b3b5a2a7e8a1a9b0">[email protected]</span></a>.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 7701-7772, and 7781-7786; 21 U.S.C. 136
and 136a; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 11th day of July 2025.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-13763 Filed 7-21-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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