RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/USA/31
15April 1996
ORGANIZATION
(96-1333)
Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION OFEMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member toAgreement notifying: UNITED STATES
Ifapplicable, name oflocal government involved:
2. Agency responsible: Department ofAgriculture, Animal andPlant Health Inspection
Service
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) asspecified innational schedules deposited with the
WTO. ICSnumbers may beprovided inaddition, where applicable): Wheat, durum
wheat andtriticale
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: Karnal BuntInfestations inArizona et
al.;Quarantining (7pages)
5. Description ofcontent: TheUnited States isquarantining thestateofArizona andatotal
ofsixcounties intheStates ofNewMexico andTexas because ofinfestations ofkarnal
bunt andrestricting themovement ofregulated articles from thequarantined areas.
These regulated articles include thefollowing: conveyances, including trucks, railroad
carsandother containers used tomove wheat, durum wheat ortriticale; grain
elevators/equipment/structures usedforstoring andhandling wheat, durum wheat, and
triticale; manure from animals thathave fedonwheat, durum wheat, ortriticale;
milling products orby-products, except flour; plants orplant parts, including grain,
seed, orstraw ofallvarieties ofthespecies oftriticum aestivum (wheat), triticum durum
(durum wheat); andtriticum aestivum Xseale cereals (triticale); rootcrops withsoil;
soilfrom areas where fieldcrops areproduced; usedbags, sacks andcontainers; used
farm tools; used mechanized cultivating equipment; used mechanized harvesting
equipment; used seed conditioning equipment; andused mechanized soil-moving
equipment.
6. Objective andrationale: Plant health
./.G/SPS/N/USA/31
Page2
7. Nature oftheurgent problem(s): Thisemergency action isnecessary toprevent the
artificial spread ofkarnal bunt, aserious fungal disease ofwheat, durum wheat, and
triticale, intonon-infected areas oftheUnited States. Karnal buntiscaused bythesmut
fungus tilletia indica (MITRA) mundkur andisspread byspores. Thespores canbe
carried onavariety ofsurfaces, including plants andplant parts, seeds, soil,elevators,
building, farmequipment, tools, andevenvehicles. Karnal buntisaserious disease that
affects bothyield andgrain quality andisdifficult tomanage because ofthebiology of
thepathogen andsusceptibility ofthehost. Karnal bunt does notpresent ariskto
human health.
8. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [X].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations: Inaccordance withtheInternational Plant Protection Convention
(IPPC), theUnited States notified theIPPC Secretariat inRome ofthekarnal bunt
detection inisolated areas ofArizona on8March, thedayUSDA received official
laboratory confirmation ofthekarnal buntdetection.
9. Relevant documents and language(s) inwhich these areavailable: 61FR13649,
28March 1996; 7CFR Part301
10. Date ofentry into force/period ofapplication (asapplicable): Theinterim rulewas
effective 25March 1996. Consideration willbegiven onlytocomments received onor
before 28May1996.
11. Texts available from/comments to: National enquiry point []oraddress and telefax
number ofother body:
USDA/FAS/OFSTS
Attn: Carolyn F.Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
14thandIndependence
Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel: (202) 720-2239
Fax: (202) 690-0677