(a) Permit required. Except for regulated articles exempted from this requirement by paragraph (c) of this section or §319.40-3, no regulated article may be imported unless a specific permit has been issued for importation of the regulated article in accordance with §319.40-4, and unless the regulated article meets all other applicable requirements of this subpart and any requirements specified by APHIS in the specific permit.

(b) Importer document; documentation of type, quantity, and origin of regulated articles. Except for regulated articles exempted from this requirement by paragraph (c) of this section or §319.40-3, no regulated article may be imported unless it is accompanied by an importer document stating the following information. A certificate that contains this information may be used in lieu of an importer document at the option of the importer:

(1) The genus and species of the tree from which the regulated article was derived;

(2) The country, and locality if known, where the tree from which the regulated article was derived was harvested;

(3) The quantity of the regulated article to be imported;

(4) The use for which the regulated article is imported; and

(5) Any treatments or handling of the regulated article required by this subpart that were performed prior to arrival at the port of first arrival.

(c) Regulation of articles imported for propagation or human consumption. The requirements of this subpart do not apply to regulated articles that are allowed importation in accordance with Subpart H—Plants for Planting of this part or to regulated articles imported for human consumption that are allowed importation in accordance with Subpart L—Fruits and Vegetables of this part.

(d) Regulated articles imported for experimental, therapeutic, or developmental purposes. Any regulated article may be imported without further restriction under this subpart if:

(1) Imported for experimental, therapeutic, or developmental purposes under the conditions specified in a controlled import permit issued in accordance with §319.6;

(2) Imported pursuant to a controlled import permit issued by APHIS for the regulated article prior to its importation and kept on file at the port of first arrival; and

(3) Imported under conditions specified on the controlled import permit and found by the Administrator to be adequate to prevent the introduction into the United States of plant pests.

(e) Designation of additional regulated articles. An inspector may designate any article as a regulated article by giving written notice of the designation to the owner or person in possession or control of the article. APHIS will implement rulemaking to add articles designated as regulated articles to the definition of regulated article in §319.40-1 if importation of the article appears to present a recurring significant risk of introducing plant pests. Inspectors may designate an article as a regulated article after determining that:

(1) The article was imported in the same container or hold as a regulated article;

(2) Other articles of the same type imported from the same country have been found to carry plant pests; or

(3) The article appears to be contaminated with regulated articles or soil.

(f) In addition to meeting the requirements of this subpart, bark and bark products and logs and pulpwood with bark attached, as well as cut trees (e.g., Christmas trees), imported from Canada are subject to the inspection and certification requirements for gypsy moth in §319.77-4 of this part.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0579-0049)

[60 FR 27674, May 25, 1995, as amended at 63 FR 13485, Mar. 20, 1998; 64 FR 45866, Aug. 23, 1999; 69 FR 52418, Aug. 26, 2004; 69 FR 61587, Oct. 20, 2004; 71 FR 40878, July 19, 2006; 72 FR 39501, July 18, 2007; 78 FR 25571, May 2, 2013; 83 FR 11865, Mar. 19, 2018; 84 FR 2429, Feb. 7, 2019]