California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Program Benefit
– Expedited Clearance in Australia
– Rapid Pest Identification
– Reduced Fumigations
– Options/Control
• Redirect
• Re-inspect
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• What the Work Plan is Not
– Easy
– Inexpensive
– More forgiving than an inspection in Australia
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Obligations
– The Work Plan is negotiated between USDA
and AQIS
– Rules, requirements to give AQIS
Confidence in sample, integrity of the load
– AQIS is demanding on
• Process
• Paperwork
• Sanitation
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Process
– Understand the Work Plan
– Have procedures in place to comply
– Have safeguards to maintain integrity of the load
• Paperwork
– Attention to detail
– Clean accurate NOIs
– NOIs and Phytos must match exactly on arrival
• Sanitation
– In the operation; fruit path
– In the inspection area
– Inspection area safe from external infestation
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Volume History
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
Total Volume - 12/31
124,788
310,058
222,123
196,541
Total Volume - EOY
477,925
400,681
929,674
496,780
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Volume by Variety
Volume By Variety
Navels
Lemons
Mandarins
Grapefruit
Clementines
Minneola Tangelo
Blood Orange
Tangelos
Moro
2007-08
727,420
74,254
77,167
22,423
26,272
576
1,274
288
929,674
2008-09
Change
328,123
-55%
88,372
19%
53,603
-31%
12,978
-42%
9,888
-62%
1,260
119%
936
-27%
864
200%
756
496,780
-47%
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• 2007 – 08 Volume
Inspections by County
Kern
2008-09
93
Tulare
53
Riverside
23
Arizona
7
176
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Program Expenses
- AQIS expenses are paid by the importers
- Scheduling and number of inspectors is
determined by importers
- Coordination, data reporting and logistics paid
by the shippers
- Inspection Reciepts
- For cash flow reasons, CCQC will issue a mid
year invoice
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Registration Packet
– Work Plan
– RFI Procedure
– Tips and suggestions
– Excel Files
• RFI Form
• NOI Form
• Sign Kit and Labels
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Requesting an Inspection
– Request must be received no later than 12:00
noon the day before you need the inspection
– Requests must be emailed to
citrusexports@sbcglobal.net
– We can accept a fax RFI, but…
– We will not schedule an inspection without a
fax or email request
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Requesting an Inspection
– RFI Form must be fully completed
– Importer information must be provided
– Day and Time of Inspections
– Shipping Date
– Inspections are on a first come basis
– Most efficient routing will be used
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Submit an RFI for each inspection you want.
• For efficient scheduling we will not be able to
schedule multiple inspections for each shipper.
• Multiple orders can be combined into one NOI
and one inspection.
• A phyto certificate is written for each order or
consignment.
• Make a copy of the NOI to go with the phyto for
each individual order.
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Issues for Riverside Program
- Diaphorina citri (Asian citrus psyllid)
Additional Declaration
- Scheduling and Logistics
- Logjam on shipping dates
- Communications
- Pest Identification
- Holiday Break
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
November
Week Beginning
(Monday)
11/2
Demember
11/9 11/16 11/23 11/30
January
12/7 12/14 12/21 12/28
February
1/4
1/11
1/18
1/25
2/1
March
2/8
2/15
2/22
April
3/1
3/8
3/15
3/22
3/29
4/5
4/12
Inspector
1 - Desert
11/1
12/22
Inspector 2 11/2
Inspector 3
11/22
12/22
12/22
Inspector 4
1/3
Inspector 5
1/3
2/13
2/13
Inspector 6
2/11
Inspector 7
2/11
3/25
3/25
Inspector 8
3/22
Number of
Inspectors on duty
1
1
2
3
3
3
3
0
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
4/16
1
1
1
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Re-inspections – If an load fails inspection
or is held for pest identification
– The NOI submitted is failed; The Packer must
present a new NOI
– The grower lot with the offending pest find
must be removed from the inspection lot
– A new 600 fruit sample is taken
– Re-inspection may be done before the AQIS
goes on to next job
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
• Typical Problems
– Understanding the Work Plan
– Shipping personnel informed about Work Plan
– Scheduling and Readiness, Staging
– Lot numbers and pallet tags
– NOIs completed accurately
• Accurate and Complete at time of inspection
• No Cross-outs or scribbles
California Citrus Pre-clearance
Program
In Summary
• Process, Paperwork, Sanitation
• Pallet Tags, Lot Numbers, Phytos
• RFI Procedures
• Communications
• Patience and Cooperation