Annex

Additional requirements for offshore pre-shipment inspection (OPI):

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment inspections will be on fruit covered in a single NOI and may comprise cherries packed in a continuous packing run, over a period up to a maximum of 36 consecutive hours. Co-joined treatment lots covered by a single NOI must be from the same treatment facility.

All fresh cherries that are presented for the department by the packing facility must be clearly labelled and legibly identified by grower lot numbers or pallet numbers on a 'Notice of Intention to Export' (NOI).

Interceptions during Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment OPI in the USA

Inspections in which live stages of quarantine pests are detected by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment will not be passed for export to Australian territory and the NOI will be put on hold with the pest stages sent to the USA entomologist for identification. The participant may elect to have the entire inspection lot withdrawn from the Australian program. However, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment may liaise with USDA to investigate the cause of the failure and to implement corrective actions. Cherries that fail the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment inspection cannot be exported for on-arrival inspection in Australian territory.

Segregation and quarantine integrity of cherries that have passed OPI

Cherries that have passed OPI by the Department must be securely stored in an approved cold storage facility prior to shipping, and must be segregated from any other domestic or export products at all times.

On arrival clearance procedures for fruit that has undergone Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment offshore pre-shipment inspection (OPI)

Cherries that have undergone OPI accompanied by the correct documentation as detailed above, may not be subject to a product inspection in Australian territory and can be cleared on documents. However, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment reserves the right to undertake random verification or inspections of consignments that have undergone OPI, as required.

Should any discrepancy be found with the produce or certification (indicating a possible system breakdown), the produce will be detained until the cause of the breakdown is determined and advice provided of the appropriate remedial action. Corrective action in Australian territory may include further inspection, treatment or re-shipment.

No cherries will be permitted for the remainder of the current season from any USA growers or packers that have been suspended by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) during the current cherry season.