How do I search for a product? For instructions on using the search function in FAVIR, refer to the FAVIR User Guide. Who can I contact if I have questions about searching for information in the database? You can call 1-301-851-2046 or 1-877-770-5990 or email PPQ.FAVIR.Comments@usda.gov Where can I make suggestions or comments on the use of the database? You can call 1-301-851-2046 or 1-877-770-5990 or send PPQ.FAVIR.Comments@usda.gov an email. How often is the information on the authorized importation of fruit and vegetables updated? For new market entry for fruits or vegetables, the database will be updated on the effective date of the import, as indicated in the final regulations or notice in the Federal Register. How do I know if the port I want to import to has an approved processing facility? You can call 1-301-851-2046 or 1-877-770-5990 or send PPQ.FAVIR.Comments@usda.gov an email. To access the e-File and submit an application for an electronic licence (PPQ 587) for the importation of fruits and vegetables, you must have an electronic authentication account. USDA agencies use the eAuthentication registration process to provide customers with access to USDA`s secure web applications and services. For more information on electronic authentication or applying for an electronic authentication account, visit www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/banner/help/efile/landing-page Contact Licensing Services at 1-301-851-2046 or 1-877-770-5990 (toll-free automated system); Fax: (301) 734-4300; Email: plantproducts.permits@usda.gov. If a fruit or vegetable from a particular country is not listed, what do I need to do to obtain an export permit to the United States? Yes. A copy of your fruit and vegetable permit must accompany each shipment. My licence has expired – what do I need to do to renew it? How do I know which fruits and vegetables need to be processed to enter the United States? No. You are not required to apply for a permit every time you import fruits or vegetables, as long as your permit contains all the import requirements for all the goods you wish to import and the permit has not expired.

Do I need a copy of my authorization to accompany each shipment? A pest-free area is an area that meets the requirements of Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR) 319.56-5 for a “pest-free area.” Go to the CFR www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-III/part-319?toc=1. Why is a fruit or vegetable listed in one country and not another? What if I don`t know how to spell the name of a fruit or vegetable? Who can I contact if I have questions about the import requirements for a fruit or vegetable or a fruit or vegetable that is not listed? The Product Import Requirement (CIR) contains the “Condition of Entry Processing” statement and lists the correct treatment(s). Treatment instructions are also included in the terms of the approved approval. A list of treatment providers and approved facilities can be found on the following website in a bulleted list under the treatment manual. www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/complete-list-of-electronic-manuals/ct_online_manuals What products can I treat with radiation? Irradiation of a particular fruit or vegetable is not listed as a treatment option until the goods have been approved by regulation and all other arrangements (signing of necessary agreements by the exporting country, certification of the irradiation facility, verification of proper stowage during transport) have been made in accordance with APHIS protocols. If you cannot find fruit or vegetable in a particular country, the fruit or vegetable is not allowed. Fruits and vegetables may be prohibited for the following reasons: 1) no one has ever applied for permission to import the product into the United States; 2) PPQ has not assessed pest risk when importing fruits or vegetables from this country; 3) PPQ has studied the risk, but cannot grant approval because there is no treatment to eliminate the pest risk; or 4) government agencies other than PPQ have prohibited or restricted the importation of fruits or vegetables. Can I take fruit with me on the plane when I travel? Yes, but you have to consume everything on the plane. All leftovers must remain on board the aircraft and are disposed of properly by the airline in accordance with APHIS guidelines.

When travelling with FAVIR, how do I know if small quantities of fruits and/or vegetables can be imported into the United States? A traveller must declare all fresh fruits and vegetables to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer upon arrival in the United States. The CBP official must confirm the name and origin of the product. Inadmissible items will be forfeited, including those of questionable origin or use. Even though the item is listed as acceptable in FAVIR, it is subject to CBP control to ensure there are no pests, diseases, and prohibited plant parts or contaminants. Items that require processing or other certification are not approved in the United States. If you do not declare fruits, vegetables or other foods, the traveller may be fined between $300 and $1,000. I enter the United States from Canada. Can I bring a packed lunch? Yes; However, they must declare all foods (of plant and animal origin) and they are tested. Items returned to the U.S. cannot be re-imported unless they are in their original containers and the containers are intact and unopened. The entry status of food of animal origin can be checked at APHIS` National Import and Export Center (NCIE): AskNCIE.Products@usda.gov.

Unmarked items, restricted items and infested items may be confiscated and possibly destroyed. I am travelling or returning to the United States from Mexico.