APHIS looks to block import of tomato pest

USDA-APHIS has issued a Federal Import Quarantine Order scheduled to take effect Feb. 1, 2010, for host material of tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), to prevent the entry or introduction of this pest into the U.S. from the infested countries of Albania, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland and Tunisia. APHIS issued Federal Orders in February and May 2009 that placed additional restrictions on currently admissible tomato fruit from the infested countries of Algeria, France, Italy, Morocco and Spain to prevent the introduction or dissemination of this pest in the U.S. Of these countries, only Greece, Netherlands and Portugal are currently authorized to export tomatoes to the U.S. APHIS has determined that it is necessary to prohibit the entry of plants for planting of Solanum sp., Datura spp. and Nicotiana spp., which are also hosts of T. absoluta, from all of the above mentioned countries pending the completion of a Pest Risk Analysis and the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures.