Code of Federal Regulations (alpha)

CFR /  Title 7  /  Part 944  /  Sec. 944.400 Designated inspection services and procedure for obtainingoranges, prune variety plums (fresh prunes), and table grapes regulated under section 8e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act

of 1937, as amended.

(a) The Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service, Fruit and Vegetable Division, Agricultural Marketing Service, United States Department of Agriculture is hereby designated as the governmental inspection service for the purpose of certifying the grade, size, quality, and maturity of avocados, grapefruit, nectarines, oranges, prune variety plums (fresh prunes), and table grapes that are imported into the United States. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is also designated as a governmental inspection service for the purpose of certifying grade, size, quality and maturity of prune variety plums (fresh prunes) only. Inspection by the Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service or the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, with appropriate evidence thereof in the form of an official inspection certificate, issued by the respective services, applicable to the particular shipment of the specified fruit, is required on all imports. Inspection and certification by the Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service will be available upon application in accordance with the Regulations Governing Inspection, Certification and Standards for Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, and Other Products (7 CFR part 51) but, since inspectors are not located in the immediate vicinity of some of the small ports of entry, such as those in southern California, importers of avocados, grapefruit, nectarines, oranges, prune variety plums (fresh prunes), and table grapes should make arrangements for inspection through the applicable one of the following offices, at least the specified number of the days prior to the time when the fruit will be imported:

PORTS, OFFICES AND ADVANCE NOTICE

Eastern Region In Alabama, Officer In Charge, Post Office Box 244, Mobile, AL 36601, PH: 205-690-6154, orIn Jacksonville, Florida, Officer In Charge, Unit 8, 3335 N. Edgewood Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32205, PH: 904-354-5983, orIn Miami, Florida, Officer In Charge, 1350 N.W. 12th Ave., RM. 530, Miami FL 33136, PH: 305-324-6116, orIn Maryland, Officer In Charge, Maryland Wholesale Produce Market--Building B Unit 13, Jessup, MD 20794, PH: 301-799-5899, orIn Massachusetts, Officer In Charge, Boston Terminal Market, Room 1, 34 Market Street, Everett, MA 02149, PH: 617-389-2480, orIn Buffalo, New York, Officer In Charge, 176 Niagara Frontier Food Terminal--Rm. 7, Buffalo, NY 14206, PH: 716-824-1585, or In New Jersey, Officer In Charge, Federal Building, RM. 839, 970 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102, PH: 201-645-2208, orIn New York, New York, Officer In Charge, Room 28-A, Hunts Point Market, Bronx, NY 10474, PH: 212-991-7669, orIn Pennsylvania, Officer In Charge, 293 Produce Building, 3301 S. Galloway Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148, PH: 215-336-0845, orIn Virginia, Officer In Charge, 3661 Virginia Beach Blvd., Norfolk, VA 23502, PH: 804-441-6218, orIn Puerto Rico, Officer In Charge, Post Office Box 9112, Santurce, PR 00908, PH: 809-783-2230.All other Eastern Port of entry: Regional Director Skyline Office Building, 5205 Leesburg Pike--Suite 806, Falls Church, VA 22041, PH: 703-756-6781.

Central Region In Louisiana, Officer In Charge, 5027 U.S. Postal Service Building, 701 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113, PH: 504-589-6741, orIn Michigan, Officer In Charge, 90 Detroit Union Produce, 7201 West Fort Street, Detroit, MI 48209, PH: 313-226-6059, orIn Minnesota, Officer In Charge, Agriculture Building Room 226, 90 West Plato Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55107, PH: 612-296-8557, orIn El Paso, Officer In Charge, 6070 Gateway East, Suite 410, El Paso, TX 79905, PH: 915-543-7723, orIn Houston, Texas, Officer In Charge, 3100 Produce Row, Room 14, Houston, TX 77023, PH: 713-923-2557.All other Texas Ports: Officer In Charge, Post Office Box 107, San Juan, TX 78589, PH: 512-787-4091.All other Central Ports of Entry: Regional Director, Room 1012, 610 South Canal Street, Chicago, IL 60607, PH: 312-353-6225.

Western Region In Arizona, Officer In Charge, Post Office Box 1485, Nogales, AZ 85621, PH: 602-281-0783, orIn Los Angeles, California, Officer In Charge, Wholesale Terminal Bldg., Room 271, 784 South Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90021, PH: 213-688-2489, orIn San Francisco, California, Officer In Charge, P.O. Box 4266, Burlingame, CA 94010, PH: 415-876-1093 & 1094, orIn Hawaii, Officer In Charge, P.O. Box 22159, Pawaa Substation, Honolulu, HI 96822, PH: 808-548-7147, orIn Oregon, Officer In Charge, Cascade Plaza, Suite 125, 2828 S.W. Corbett, Portland, OR 97201, PH: 503-229-6161, orIn Washington, Officer In Charge, 5507 Sixth Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98108, PH: 206-764-3500, orIn New Mexico, Officer In Charge, New Mexico Market and Development Branch, New Mexico Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 5600, Las Cruces, NM 88003, PH: 505-646-4929.All other Western Ports of Entry: Regional Director, P.O. Box 214287, Sacramento, CA 95821, PH: 916-484-4952 & 3549.Headquarters: Washington, DC: Chief, Fresh Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Division, AMS, Room 2052-S. Bldg., U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, PH: 202-447-5870.

Notification: Port Offices--at least one (1) day;Regional Director--at least two (2) days;Headquarters--at least three (3) days.

(b) Inspection certificates shall cover only the quantity of fruit that is being imported at a particular port of entry by a particular importer.

(c) The inspection performed, and certificates issued, by the Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Department governing the inspection and certification of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other products (7 CFR part 51). The cost of any inspection and certification shall be borne by the applicant therefor.

(d) Each inspection certificate issued with respect to any of the specified fruits to be imported into the United States shall set forth among other things:

(1) The name and place of inspection;

(2) The name of the shipper, or applicant;

(3) The Customs entry number pertaining to the lot or shipment covered by the certificate;

(4) The commodity inspected;

(5) The quantity of the commodity covered by the certificate;

(6) The principal identifying marks on the container;

(7) The railroad car initials and number, the truck and the trailer license number, the name of the vessel, the name of the air carrier, or other identification of the shipment; and

(8) The following statement if the facts warrant: Meets U.S. import requirements under section 8e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as amended. [48 FR 44459, Sept. 29, 1983, as amended at 56 FR 10504, Mar. 13, 1991; 61 FR 40958, Aug. 7, 1996; 68 FR 10347, Mar. 5, 2003; 74 FR 2808, Jan. 16, 2009]