Administrator. The Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or any person authorized to act for the Administrator.

Agent. An individual who meets the eligibility requirements set forth in §353.6, and who is designated by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to conduct phytosanitary field inspections of seed crops to serve as a basis for the issuance of phytosanitary certificates.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Consignment. One shipment of plants or plant products, from one exporter, to one consignee, in one country, on one means of conveyance; or any mail shipment to one consignee.

Export certificate for processed plant products. A certificate (PPQ Form 578 or an approved electronic equivalent) issued by an inspector, describing the plant health condition of processed or manufactured plant products based on inspection of submitted samples and/or by virtue of the processing received.

Family. An inspector or agent and his or her spouse, their parents, children, and first cousins.

Industry-issued certificate. A certificate issued by a representative of the concerned agricultural or forestry industry under the terms of a written agreement with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, giving assurance that a plant product has been handled, processed, or inspected in a manner required by a foreign government. An industry-issued certificate includes an ISPM 15 quality/treatment mark.

Inspector. An employee of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or a State or county plant regulatory official designated by the Secretary of Agriculture to inspect and certify to shippers and other interested parties, as to the phytosanitary condition of plant products inspected under the Act.

Non-government facility. A laboratory, research facility, inspection service, or other entity that is maintained, at least in part, for the purpose of providing laboratory testing or phytosanitary inspection services and that is not operated by the Federal Government or by the government of a State or a subdivision of a State.

Office of inspection. The office of an inspector of plants and plant products covered by this part.

Phytosanitary certificate. A certificate (PPQ Form 577 or an approved electronic equivalent) issued by an inspector, giving the phytosanitary condition of domestic plants or unprocessed or unmanufactured plant products based on inspection of the entire lot or representative samples drawn by a Federal or State employee authorized to conduct such sampling.

Phytosanitary certificate for reexport. A certificate (PPQ Form 579 or an approved electronic equivalent) issued by an inspector, giving the phytosanitary condition of foreign plants and plant products legally imported into the United States and subsequently offered for reexport. The certificate certifies that, based on the original foreign phytosanitary certificate and/or additional inspection or treatment in the United States, the plants and plant products are considered to conform to the current phytosanitary regulations of the receiving country and have not been subjected to the risk of infestation or infection during storage in the United States. Plants and plant products which transit the United States under Customs bond are not eligible to receive the phytosanitary certificate for reexport.

Plant pests. Any living stage of any insects, mites, nematodes, slugs, snails, protozoa, or other invertebrate animals, bacteria, fungi, other parasitic plants or reproductive parts thereof, viruses, or any organisms similar to or allied with any of the foregoing, or any infectious substances, which can directly or indirectly injure or cause disease or damage in any plants or parts thereof, or other products of plants.

Plant products. Products derived from nursery stock, other plants, plant parts, roots, bulbs, seeds, fruits, nuts, and vegetables, including manufactured or processed products.

Plants and plant products. Nursery stock, other plants, plant parts, roots, bulbs, seeds, fruits, nuts, vegetables and other plant products, including manufactured or processed products.

Reference Manual A. The Reference Manual for Administration, Procedures, and Policies of the National Seed Health System, published by the National Seed Health System (NSHS). Reference Manual A describes the structure, administration, procedures, policies, and working practices of the NSHS and also contains relevant documentation, forms, and references for the NSHS. Reference Manual A is incorporated by reference at §300.3 of this chapter, and is available by writing to Phytosanitary Issues Management, Operational Support, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 140, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, and on the APHIS Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pim/accreditation.

Reference Manual B. The Reference Manual for Seed Health Testing and Phytosanitary Field Inspection Methods, published by the National Seed Health System (NSHS). Reference Manual B contains the detailed seed health testing, seed sampling, and inspection procedures for the NSHS. Reference Manual B is incorporated by reference at §300.4 of this chapter, and is available by writing to Phytosanitary Issues Management, Operational Support, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 140, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, and on the APHIS Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pim/accreditation.

State. Any of the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands of the United States.

The Act. Title IV of Public Law 106-224, 114 Stat. 438, 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772, which was enacted June 20, 2000.

[61 FR 15368, Apr. 8, 1996, as amended at 64 FR 1105, Jan. 8, 1999; 64 FR 72264, Dec. 27, 1999; 65 FR 50131, Aug. 17, 2000; 66 FR 21059, Apr. 27, 2001; 66 FR 37116, July 17, 2001; 66 FR 37400, July 18, 2001; 67 FR 8466, Feb. 25, 2002; 72 FR 35917, July 2, 2007; 81 FR 40151, June 21, 2016]