APHIS Updates Import Requirements for Fresh Bell Peppers (Capsicum annuum) from Spain Due to Interception of Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly)

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2025-02
January 15, 2025

Subject: APHIS Updates Import Requirements for Fresh Bell Peppers (Capsicum annuum) from Spain Due to Interception of Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly)

To: State, Tribal, and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is updating requirements for importation of fresh bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) from Spain. Specifically, this Federal Order adds a new import requirement stipulating the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Spain adhere to an operational workplan (OWP) jointly developed with APHIS detailing the activities and responsibilities the NPPO of Spain will carry out to meet the systems approach requirements for fresh bell peppers, which includes mitigation measures for Mediterranean fruit flies (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly).

This Federal Order supersedes Federal Orders DA-2024-01 and DA-2022-42. In December 2022, APHIS issued Federal Order DA-2022-42, which at the time prohibited the importation of fresh bell peppers from Spain after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspectors at John F. Kennedy Airport, New York, intercepted five live Medfly larvae and one pupa in commercial consignments of fresh bell peppers from Spain. On January 19, 2024, APHIS issued Federal Order DA-2024-01 allowing the importation of fresh bell peppers from Spain to resume and requiring the NPPO of Spain to implement a set of corrective actions and enhanced safeguarding measures necessary to prevent the entry of Medfly into the United States.

APHIS is taking this current action in response to an interception of a live Medfly larva by CBP inspectors in a commercial consignment of fresh bell peppers from Spain during a port-of-entry inspection at John F. Kennedy Airport, New York, in March 2024. The NPPO of Spain subsequently ended its export season for fresh bell peppers and, as a result, no fresh bell peppers are being imported from Spain into the United States at this time. This Federal Order states that fresh bell peppers from Spain may only resume importation into the United States following the establishment of an Operational Workplan (OWP) developed jointly with the NPPO of Spain and APHIS detailing the activities and responsibilities the NPPO of Spain will carry out to ensure exported fresh bell peppers from Spain are free of Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly).

The attached Federal Order supersedes Federal Order DA-2024-01 and outlines the updated importation requirements for fresh bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) from Spain. For additional information regarding this Federal Order, please contact Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist Mafalda Santos at 585-300-3558 or via email at Mafalda.Santos@usda.gov

/s/

Dr. Mark L Davidson
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine
Attachment: Federal Order (264.66 KB)