§ 319.56-2u - Conditions governing the entry of lettuce and peppers from Israel.

(a) Lettuce may be imported into the United States from Israel without fumigation for leafminers, thrips, and Sminthuris viridis only under the following conditions:

(1) Growing conditions. (i) The lettuce must be grown in insect-proof houses covered with 50 mesh screens, double self-closing doors, and hard walks (no soil) between the beds;

(ii) The lettuce must be grown in growing media that has been sterilized by steam or chemical means;

(iii) The lettuce must be inspected during its active growth phase and the inspection must be monitored by a representative of the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture;

(iv) The crop must be protected with sticky traps and prophylactic sprays approved for the crop by Israel;

(v) The lettuce must be moved to an insect-proof packing house at night in plastic containers covered by 50 mesh screens;

(vi) The lettuce must be packed in an insect-proof packing house, individually packed in transparent plastic bags, packed in cartons, placed on pallets, and then covered with shrink wrapping; and

(vii) The lettuce must be transported to the airport in a closed refrigerated truck for shipment to the United States.

(2) Each shipment of lettuce must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture stating that the conditions of paragraph (a)(1) of this section have been met.

(b) Peppers (fruit) (Capsicum spp.) from Israel may be imported into the United States only under the following conditions:

(1) The peppers have been grown the Arava Valley by growers registered with the Israeli Department of Plant Protection and Inspection (DPPI).

(2) Malathion bait sprays shall be applied in the residential areas of the Arava Valley at 6- to 10-day intervals beginning not less than 30 days before the harvest of backyard host material in residential areas and shall continue through harvest.

(3) The peppers have been grown in insect-proof plastic screenhouses approved by the DPPI and APHIS. Houses shall be examined periodically by DPPI or APHIS personnel for tears in either plastic or screening.

(4) Trapping for Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) shall be conducted by DPPI throughout the year in the agricultural region along Arava Highway 90 and in the residential area of Paran. The capture of a single Medfly in a screenhouse will immediately cancel export from that house until the source of the infestation is delimited, trap density is increased, pesticide sprays are applied, or other measures acceptable to APHIS are taken to prevent further occurrences.

(5) Signs in English and Hebrew shall be posted along Arava Highway 90 stating that it is prohibited to throw out/discard fruits and vegetables from passing vehicles.

(6) Sorting and packing of peppers shall be done in the insect-proof screenhouses in the Arava Valley.

(7) Prior to movement from approved insect-proof screenhouses in the Arava Valley, the peppers must be packed in either individual insect-proof cartons or in non-insect-proof cartons that are covered by insect-proof mesh or plastic tarpaulins; covered non-insect-proof cartons must be placed in shipping containers.

(8) The packaging safeguards required by paragraph (b)(7) of this section must remain intact at all times during the movement of the peppers to the United States and must be intact upon arrival of the peppers in the United States.

(9) Each shipment of peppers must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Israeli national plant protection organization stating that the conditions of paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(7) of this section have been met.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0579-0210)