The Entomology Program certifies a vast array of plants and plant products for export. The certification procedure may require:

• Application for an Export Certificate;
• Inspection of plants growing in the field;
• Inspection of the export facilities;
• Sampling of commodities in storage;
• Surveys of certain areas for specific plant pests; and
• Laboratory testing.
• Treatment Verification Form

Nine inspectors with the Bureau of Plant Industry are located statewide and are available to conduct inspections. The inspections conducted by the inspectors in support of export certification are:

• FDA housekeeping inspections;
• Warehouse inspections;
• Sampling bulked and bagged plant products for export;
• Special surveys when necessary; and
• Annual seed inspections.

Once the Bureau of Plant Industry receives the application for an export certificate, it is reviewed for completeness. The foreign country regulations are reviewed to see if the shipment meets the certification requirements. Each country has its own unique and dynamic regulations for the importation of plants and plant products. Bureau of Plant Industry staff electronically access a USDA database called EXCERPT located at Purdue University, which contains the current regulations of over 170 countries. Private companies can subscribe to EXCERPT for a fee.

Import permits are issued by the importing country ministry or department of agriculture to the foreign buyer. These permits grant permission to import into their country and may list additional or fewer requirements for the product to be imported. Many countries will not allow the importation of seeds, unless an import permit has been issued. It is the responsibility of the importer or broker to provide you with a copy of the import permit. A copy of the import permit must be presented to this office before the phytosanitary certificate is issued. If necessary, the import permit should be translated from the original language and notarized as a true translation.

This department issues about 2,000 phytosanitary certificates a year which facilitate the export of various plants and plant products. The timely issuance of certificates is a priority to us. The issuance policy of this department is that applications for export certificates received by 12:00 noon (C.S.T.) will be printed and sent that same day. Applications received after 12:00 noon (C.S.T.) will be printed and sent the following working day.

This department will mail one set of the certificates, via first-class mail or express mail service (provided we have the firm account number for billing). We will not fax copies of certificates or send copies to multiple locations.

This department has established a zero tolerance for live stored grain insects in commodities for export. Plant products found infested with live stored grain insects will not be eligible for certification. The infested commodity must be treated and reinspected before it will be certified for export. The treatment must be documented by the exporting firm on forms provided by the office.

An infestation is defined as one or more live stored grain insects found in the grain sampled. Dead insects may indicate the grain has already been treated. Remember, we are concerned with live insects and not dead insects or damaged grain. If a bin is found to be infested, the total amount of grain in that bin is not eligible for certification.

Some countries are very concerned about the movement of soil or soil peds with seed and grain. Nebraska does have soybean cyst nematode and sugar beet nematode in certain counties. Nematodes and some plant diseases can be moved in soil. Spiral cleaners are available for cleaning soybean seed.

Firms or individuals exporting plants and plant products have been divided into eight categories or types in order to establish inspection protocols. The eight exporter categories are:

• Bulk grain to Mexico (corn, sorghum, soybeans, wheat)
• Bulk grain (amaranth, dry beans, millet, popcorn, white corn)
• Commercial seed (seed companies - corn, sorghum, soybean seed)
• Individual (one time or periodic shipments, various plants, plant products)
• Plants and nursery stock (field and greenhouse grown plants)
• Processed plant products (corn meal, rolled oats, soybean meal)
• Research plants and seed (company, university research plants and seeds)
• Semi-processed plant products (bulk and bagged popcorn, dry beans)

Firms exporting grain to Mexico need to maintain a certain level of facility cleanliness which will ensure that grain in storage is protected from birds, excessive moisture, mold, rodents, and stored grain insects. The facility should have a management program which will monitor grain conditions. The firm should have a pest management program for birds, rodents, and stored grain insects.

A zero tolerance for live stored grain insects is maintained for grain for export. Grain in bins intended for export should be free of live stored grain insect activity.

NDA inspectors will inspect the facility at least one to two times per year. If the firm is well managed, it would receive the minimum number of inspections. If the firm has weevilly grain and unsanitary conditions, additional inspections may be required. Inspections will include the inspection types listed below.

• A housekeeping inspection of the entire facility will be conducted once per year by NDA inspectors.
• Grain intended for export will be sampled at least once per year. Additional inspections may also be assigned by this office.
• Khapra beetle surveys will be conducted every two years. Pheromone traps will be placed in the firms for a minimum of 60 days between July and October.
• FDA housekeeping inspections may be scheduled when necessary or assigned.
• Firm pesticide application records for rail car treatments may be audited.
• In addition to NDA inspections, Official Export Grain Inspection Certificates and associated FGIS inspection logs issued by regional grain inspection stations will be used as a basis for certification. The FGIS inspection log lists all rail cars in the unit train and number of live stored grain insects found in each rail car sample. The inspection logs are used to issue the Official Export Grain Inspection Certificates.
• FGIS inspection logs or Official Export Grain Inspection Certificates must be received in this office before the phytosanitary certificate is issued.
• If live stored grain insects are found in the rail car sample, the rail car must be fumigated. The grain in that rail car may be treated in transit following label directions. The firm must send a letter to NDA attesting to the treatment of the rail car(s).
• Regional grain inspectors check the inside of the rail cars before loading to assure cleanliness.

Firms exporting bulk grain need to maintain a certain level of facility cleanliness which will ensure that grain in the storage is protected from birds, excessive moisture, mold, rodents, and stored grain insects. The facility should have a management program which will monitor bins conditions. The firm should have a pest management program for birds, rodents, and stored grain insects.

The number of facility inspections will depend on the type of operation. If the firm is well managed, then it would receive the minimum number of inspections. If the firm has weevilly grain and unsanitary conditions, additional inspections may be required.

Some firms may not have enough storage space available, so additional storage locations may need to be inspected. Firms may load grain directly from farm storage. If these situations exist, the inspector will have to make certain that the grain is inspected before export. Inspectors must discuss these additional storage locations with the office.

A zero tolerance for live stored grain insects is maintained for grain for export.

NDA inspectors will inspect the facility and the commodities for export one to two times per year, inspections will include the inspections types listed below.

• A housekeeping inspection of the entire facility will be conducted once per year.
• Grain intended for export will be sampled at least once per year. Additional inspections may be assigned by this office.
• Khapra beetle surveys will be conducted every two years. Pheromone traps will be placed in the firms for a minimum of 60 days between July and October.
• FDA housekeeping inspections may be scheduled when necessary or assigned.

Commercial seed companies grow thousands of acres of seed corn in Nebraska. Some sorghum and soybeans for seed is grown. In 1996, about 30,000 acres were field inspected for export. Most companies have research stations or researchers who grow small plots or seed nurseries.

Firms exporting seed, need to maintain a certain level of facility cleanliness which will ensure that seed in storage is protected from birds, excessive moisture, mold, rodents and stored grain insects. The facility should have a pest management program.

A zero tolerance for live stored grain insects is maintained for grain for export.

NDA inspectors will inspect seed storage facilities one to two times per year. Inspections will include the inspection types listed below.

• NDA inspectors will conduct an annual seed inspection of the seed warehouse (December - February). NDA inspectors will sample various bagged seed lots and submit samples to the Nebraska State Seed Lab for testing. Lab testing includes germination, weeds, and live stored grain insects. Seed labels are valid for nine months.
• A housekeeping inspection of the entire facility will be conducted once per year.
• Khapra beetle surveys will be conducted every two years. Pheromone traps will be placed in the firms for a minimum of 60 days between July and October.
• NDA inspectors may take samples for plant disease laboratory testing done at Iowa State University if required.
• Samples may be taken for Federal Seed Analysis Certificates. These samples need to be sent to the Federal Seed Lab at Beltsville, Maryland.
• Growing season field inspections are conducted at least once per year by NDA or the Nebraska Crop Improvement Association (NCIA) under the direction of this department. NDA inspects the research fields, while NCIA inspects the commercial production. Field inspection reports listing the plant diseases present at the time of inspection are on file in the NDA office. These reports are used for the basis of export certification.
• Special surveys are conducted as assigned which may involve soil sampling for nematodes or surveys of specific areas for plant diseases and insects.

Individual shipments may involve any of the seven export categories. Most of the time the individual shipments require a short notice for inspection. Many times the exporters are first timers or sporadic shippers. Past shipments have involved amaranth, potatoes, and sunflowers.

Exporting firms need to maintain a certain level of facility cleanliness which will ensure the commodity in the storage is protected from birds, excessive moisture, mold, rodents, and stored grain insects. The facility should have a pest management program.

A zero tolerance for live stored grain insects is maintained for grain for export.

• NDA inspectors will inspect the commodity to be exported.
• NDA inspectors will conduct a brief housekeeping inspection, outlining the export situation and location of stored products.
• The NDA office will assign the exporter to one of the exporter categories from the inspector's input if the firm becomes a regular exporter.

Nursery stock growers are to be licensed and inspected annually by the NDA. Growers range from a backyard to 200 acres, and the plants grown vary from African violets to oak trees. If the nursery stock is not grown by the exporter, then additional information may be required from the state of origin.

• The firm must be a licensed grower or dealer, otherwise they will be categorized as an individual exporter.
• NDA inspectors will inspect nursery stock in greenhouses or growing fields one to two times per year.
• Inspection of individual shipments by NDA inspectors may be required.
• NDA inspectors will review the plant packing process used by the exporting nursery.
• Special surveys may be required for nematodes, weeds, or other plant pests.
• Federal quarantine compliance surveys may be necessary for barberry, gypsy moth, Japanese beetle, or pine shoot beetle.
• Compliance agreements may be needed to comply with state quarantine requirements.
• Treatments of specific plant pests may need to be monitored by NDA inspectors to assure compliance.
• Pesticide treatment records may need to be reviewed by NDA inspectors.

Processed products are plant products which are milled or processed in some manner. Most processed products are usually used as ingredients for feeds or food. Processed products exported from Nebraska include corn meal, corn grits, soybean meal, and rolled oats.

Firms exporting processed products need to maintain a certain level of facility cleanliness which will ensure that product in the storage is protected from birds, excessive moisture, mold, rodents, and stored grain insects. The firm should have a pest management program for birds, stored grain insects, and rodents. Warehouses should be in good sanitary condition. The FDA may be inspecting some of these facilities.

A zero tolerance for live stored grain insects is maintained for processed products for export.

• NDA inspectors will inspect facilities one to two times per year, which may include the inspections listed below.
• A housekeeping inspection of the entire facility will be conducted once per year.
• NDA inspectors will inspect processed product samples in the quality control laboratory once a year. The product samples are kept on file for 30 to 60 days.
• NDA inspectors will sample the bagged product in the warehouse at least once per year.
• Khapra beetle surveys will be conducted every two years. Pheromone traps will be placed in the firms for a minimum of 60 days between July and October.
• FDA housekeeping inspections may be scheduled when necessary.

University researchers may be involved in exporting plants and seeds to various countries. Some of the most frequent exports include amaranth, corn, millet, sorghum, and soybeans seed. Nursery stock, including seeds, cuttings, and scion wood are also exported. Most of these inspections are done from the Lincoln office. The exporters are encouraged to bring the shipment to our office for an individual inspection.

• Growing season field inspections are conducted at least once per year by NDA. Field inspection reports listing the plant diseases present at the time of inspection are maintained in this office.
• Individual shipments are inspected in our office or at the University, if necessary.
• Khapra beetle surveys will be conducted every two years. Pheromone traps will be placed in the Stewart Seed Lab, East Campus, for a minimum of 60 days between July and October.
• Special surveys are conducted at East Campus, University of Nebraska and at the Mead Research and Development Center, as needed. Surveys may involve soil sampling for nematodes or surveys of specific areas for plant diseases and insects.
• Nursery stock growers must be licensed with the NDA as a nursery grower and the nursery stock in greenhouses or growing fields inspected one to two times per year.

Semi-processed bulk and bagged plant products include great northern beans, navy beans, pink beans, pinto beans, popcorn, and red kidney beans. The plant products are usually screened, scalped, electric-eye separated, or cleaned in some manner. These products are usually exported for human consumption.

Firms exporting semi-processed products need to maintain a certain level of facility cleanliness which will ensure the grain in the storage is protected from birds, excessive moisture, mold, rodents, and stored grain insects. The facility should have a pest management program for birds, stored grain insects, and rodents. Warehouses should be maintained in good sanitary condition.

• NDA inspectors will inspect facilities one to two times per year, which may include the inspections listed below.
• A housekeeping inspection of the entire facility will be conducted once per year.
• FDA housekeeping inspections may be scheduled when necessary.
• NDA inspectors will sample bagged products in the warehouse at least once per year between July and October.
• NDA inspectors will sample bulk storage bins once per year between July and October.
• Khapra beetle surveys will be conducted every two years. Pheromone traps will be placed in the firms for a minimum of 60 days between July and October.
• Aflatoxin testing may be required. Samples must be drawn by FGIS contract samplers.
• Moisture testing of popcorn may be required. Samples must by drawn by FGIS contract samplers.
• Pop and volume testing of popcorn is usually done by the exporting firm. A buyer may require an official test which has to sampled by FGIS contract samplers.

Lab testing is an alternate method for verifying presence or absence of plant diseases in the field. Our department may be contacted to pull an official sample (one pound) for lab testing. The sample taken must be sealed by the inspector. The firm will mail the sample after it is sealed to Iowa State University Seed Testing Lab

Laboratory testing for specific plant diseases may involve a grow out in the Iowa State greenhouse or ELISA testing and may take up to three weeks. Diagnostic fees range from $25 to $150 per sample depending on the type of test.