Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service October 19, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are proposing to amend the regulations pertaining to approved phytosanitary treatments of fruits and vegetables by adding new treatment schedules for sweet cherries and for certain species of citrus fruit imported from Australia into the United States. Based on our treatment evaluation, we have determined that the proposed treatments would be effective against Mediterranean fruit fly and Queensland fruit fly, pests associated with sweet cherries and citrus fruit from Australia. We also propose to establish an approved irradiation dose for Mediterranean fruit fly of 100 gray, which is lower than the generic dose of 150 gray that is approved for all fruit flies. New peer-reviewed data indicate that the 100 gray irradiation dose will neutralize Mediterranean fruit fly. These changes would offer more flexibility in treatments while continuing to prevent the introduction or interstate movement of quarantine pests.