In the October 10, 2014, Federal Register, USDA issued a final rule amending the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of fresh bananas from the Philippines into Hawaii, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. As a condition of entry, the bananas will have to be produced in accordance with a systems approach, which includes monitoring for fruit flies, harvesting of only hard green bananas, and inspecting shipments for quarantine pests. The rule is effective November 10, 2014.
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