20 May 2016
Purpose
To advise industry of requirements and processes for the inspection, loading and certification of citrus in-transit cold treatment (ITCT) exports to the USA in 2016.
Summary of changes and key points
Citrus ITCT inspection and loading by authorised officers
- The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) requires authorised officers to have completed USDA-APHIS citrus ITCT training before they are permitted to supervise loading of citrus export consignments to the US.
- Authorised officers that have been appointed the citrus protocol job function (HEP4001:1 Export inspection horticulture protocol – Citrus) are permitted to inspect citrus export consignments to the US.
- Authorised officers are not permitted to supervise loading of citrus ITCT export consignments to the US until they have completed the requisite USDA-APHIS citrus ITCT training.
- USDA-APHIS will be training and assessing the department’s Plant Export Assessors (PEAs) on citrus ITCT in mid-June. Following this training, the PEAs will be accredited to train and assess authorised officers on US citrus ITCT requirements and processes, with the rollout of training and assessment expected to commence from July 2016.
- Authorised officers who have previously completed the USDA-APHIS citrus ITCT training will continue to be able to supervise the loading of citrus ITCT consignments to the US.
Citrus ITCT documentation and certification procedures
- The requirements below must be followed by shipping companies and exporters for citrus ITCT exports to the US in 2016.
- Shipping companies must send a pre-alert email as soon as possible which lists:
- container numbers
- shipping details – vessel Name, vessel number and estimated time of arrival (ETA)
- Exporters must submit RFP authorisation requests for processing prior to the USDA PPQ 556 processing request being received.
- Shipping companies must submit USDA PPQ 556 processing requests (including container numbers) at least the day before completion is required. For example, if completion is required by Friday or on the weekend, then the USDA PPQ 556 processing request should be submitted by Thursday of that week.
- Inspections for citrus ITCT exports to the US should not be booked on Fridays when the vessel is leaving that weekend as this leaves insufficient time for processing.
- The department’s Plant Exports National Documentation Hub will prioritise US citrus ITCT export requests in order of submission and will endeavour to process documentation to meet exporter requirements. However, please be aware that there will be busy periods where requests submitted with insufficient time for processing may not be actioned until the following business day.
The below table contains the required email subject title for US citrus ITCT requests. All requests must be sent to the Plant Exports National Documentation Hub Plant Exports NDH
Email Type | Required Email Subject Title |
|---|---|
RFP Authorisation | Authorisation RFP <Insert Number> - Horticulture; Date of Departure; Sea |
Shipping Notification Pre-Alert | USDA 556 ITCT – [Vessel name] – Pre Alert |
Shipping Notifications USDA PPQ 556 ITCT Processing Request | USDA 556 ITCT – [Vessel name] |
Consignment Issues | USDA 556 ITCT – [RFP number, Container number] – Consignment Issue |
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email the Horticulture Exports Program Horticulture Exports Program ACT or the Plant Exports National Documentation Hub Plant Exports NDH.
Peter Creaser
A/g Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch