The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is authorizing the importation of fresh carrots from the Republic of Korea into the United States.
On November 12, 2019, APHIS published a pest risk assessment and a risk management document for review and comment. The pest risk assessment identified pests of quarantine significance that could follow this commodity into the United States. The risk mitigation document outlined available measures to mitigate those pest risks. Based on this analysis, APHIS has determined that fresh carrots from the Republic of Korea can be safely imported into the United States under a systems approach to protect against the introduction and spread of plant pests.
A systems approach is a series of measures taken by growers, packers, and shippers that minimize pest risks prior to importation into the United States. In this case, the systems approach includes place of origin restrictions, washing and disinfecting requirements, and the removal of soil and green tops. The Republic of Korea’s national plant protection organization must also inspect shipments before export and issue a phytosanitary certificate.
