(a) Phytosanitary certificate (PPQ Form 577).

(1) For each consignment of domestic plants or unprocessed plant products for which certification is requested, the inspector shall sign and issue a separate certificate based on the findings of the inspection.

(2) The original certificate shall immediately upon its issuance be delivered or mailed to the applicant or a person designated by the applicant.

(3) One copy of each certificate shall be filed in the office of inspection at the port of certification, and one forwarded to the Administrator.

(4) The Administrator may authorize inspectors to issue certificates on the basis of inspections made by cooperating Federal, State, and county agencies. The Administrator may also authorize inspectors to issue a certificate on the basis of a laboratory test or an inspection performed by a non-government facility accredited in accordance with §353.8.

(5) Inspectors may issue new certificates on the basis of inspections for previous certifications when the previously issued certificates can be canceled before they have been accepted by the phytopathological authorities of the country of destination involved.

(b) Export certificate for processed plant products (PPQ Form 578).

(1) For each consignment of processed plant products for which certification is requested, the inspector shall sign and issue a certificate based on the inspector's findings after inspecting submitted samples and/or by virtue of processing received.

(2) The original certificate shall immediately upon its issuance be delivered or mailed to the applicant or a person designated by the applicant.

(3) One copy of each certificate shall be filed in the office of inspection at the port of certification.

(4) The Administrator may authorize inspectors to issue certificates on the basis of inspections made by cooperating Federal, State, and county agencies. The Administrator may also authorize inspectors to issue a certificate on the basis of a laboratory test or an inspection performed by a non-government facility accredited in accordance with §353.8.

(5) Inspectors may issue new certificates on the basis of inspections/processing used for previous certifications.

(c) Phytosanitary certificate for reexport (PPQ Form 579).

(1) For each consignment of foreign origin plants or unprocessed plant products for which certification is requested, the inspector shall sign and issue a certificate based on the original foreign phytosanitary certificate and/or additional inspection or treatment in the United States after determining that the consignment conforms to the current phytosanitary regulations of the receiving country and has not been subjected to the risk of infestation or infection during storage in the United States.

(2) The original certificate shall immediately upon its issuance be delivered or mailed to the applicant or a person designated by the applicant.

(3) One copy of each certificate shall be filed in the office of inspection at the port of certification, and one forwarded to the Administrator.

(4) The Administrator may authorize inspectors to issue certificates on the basis of inspections made by cooperating Federal, State, and county agencies. The Administrator may also authorize inspectors to issue a certificate on the basis of a laboratory test or an inspection performed by a non-government facility accredited in accordance with §353.8.

(5) Inspectors may issue new certificates on the basis of inspections for previous certifications when the previously issued certificates can be canceled before they have been accepted by the phytopathological authorities of the country of destination involved.

(d) Industry-issued certificate. A certificate issued under the terms of a written agreement between the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and an agricultural or forestry company or association 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. The certificate may be issued by the individual who signs the agreement or his/her delegate.

(1) Contents of written agreement. In each written agreement, APHIS shall agree to cooperate and coordinate with the signatory agricultural or forestry company or association to facilitate the issuance of industry-issued certificates and to monitor activities under the agreement, and the concerned agricultural or forestry company or association agrees to comply with the requirements of the agreement. Each agreement shall specify the articles subject to the agreement and any measures necessary to prevent the introduction and dissemination into specified foreign countries of specified injurious plant pests. These measures could include such treatments as refrigeration, heat treatment, kiln drying, etc., and must include all necessary preshipment inspections and subsequent sign-offs and product labeling as identified by Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), APHIS, based on the import requirements of the foreign country.

(2) Termination of agreement. An agreement may be terminated by any signatory to the agreement by giving written notice of termination to the other party. The effective date of the termination will be 15 days after the date of actual receipt of the written notice. Any agreement may be immediately withdrawn by the Administrator if he or she determines that articles covered by the agreement were moved in violation of any requirement of this chapter or any provision of the agreement. If the withdrawal is oral, the decision to withdraw the agreement and the reasons for the withdrawal of the agreement shall be confirmed in writing as promptly as circumstances permit. Withdrawal of an agreement may be appealed in writing to the Administrator within 10 days after receipt of the written notification of the withdrawal. The appeal shall state all of the facts and reasons upon which the appellant relies to show that the agreement was wrongfully withdrawn. The Administrator shall grant or deny the appeal, in writing, stating the reasons for granting or denying the appeal as promptly as circumstances permit. If there is a conflict as to any material fact and the person from whom the agreement is withdrawn requests a hearing, a hearing shall be held to resolve the conflict. Rules of practice concerning the hearing shall be adopted by the Administrator. No written agreement will be signed with an individual or a company representative of the concerned agricultural or forestry company or association who has had a written agreement withdrawn during the 12 months following such withdrawal, unless the withdrawn agreement was reinstated upon appeal.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0579-0052 and 0579-0147)

[61 FR 15368, Apr. 8, 1996, as amended at 64 FR 1105, Jan. 8, 1999; 64 FR 72265, Dec. 27, 1999; 66 FR 37116, July 17, 2001; 72 FR 35917, July 2, 2007]