Commodity Import Approval Process

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To obtain access to U.S. markets for a fruit, vegetable, plant, or plant product that is not already an approved commodity, you must initiate a commodity import request. There are 4 steps in the process:

1. Determine if the commodity is an approved commodity or currently undergoing a pest risk analysis
2. If it is not approved or currently undergoing a pest risk analysis, submit a commodity import request
3. APHIS will conduct a pest risk analysis and an environmental review to determine potential pests likely to remain on the commodity upon importation and potential mitigations that may be required to avoid, reduce, or eliminate the risk of pest introduction.
4. If APHIS determines that the commodity can be safely imported into the United States, APHIS will initiate the regulatory administrative process
   to seek public comment

More Information
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) analyzes the risk of agricultural commodities to determine how they must be inspected, treated, or certified to be imported safely into the United States. If you have a question about importing a commodity or requesting approval for the importation of a new commodity, please call our Customer Service Support office at 301.851.2046 or 877.770.5990.