Enhancing Trade Through 
Phytosanitary Procedures 
Facilitating Imports: 
Safeguarding the Diversity of 
Available Agricultural Products 
Over the years, Americans have 
come to count on a diverse array 
of agricultural products for their 
dinner table. To satisfy the ever- 
changing tastes of Americans, the 
United States imports commodities 
from around the globe. Local 
stores now carry everything from 
Mexican artichokes to Italian 
zucchini. PPQ strives to ensure 
that these imported products are 
pest and disease free. PPQ does 
this by regulating the importation 
of agricultural products, as well as 
helping to ensure that inspections 
are performed for admissible 
products and treatments are 
administered to infested products 
before they are released into trade 
channels. 
PPQ advises importers on 
phytosanitary restrictions and 
requirements and provides 
importers with information (includ- 
ing regulations, policies, and 
procedures) on agricultural 
commodities they wish to import 
into this country. For instance, if an 
importer wants to bring ina 
shipment of flowers from The 
Netherlands, PPQ officers provide 
the importer with U.S. phytosan- 
itary requirements in advance so 
the flowers can enter this country 
expeditiously. 
Importers must obtain import 
permits for many, but not all, 
commodities before the goods 
begin their trip to the United 
States. Importers must also obtain 
phytosanitary certificates for 
certain commodities from the 
exporting country. These certifi- 
cates verify that the quarantine 
officials of the exporting country 
have examined the commodities 
for pests prior to the commodities’ 
departure from the country. 
PPQ’s permit unit provides 
information to potential importers 
on permit requirements and 
processes applications for permits. 
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PPQ employees advise importers and exporters 
and provide phytosanitary certificates for certain 
commodities. 
