In mid-December 2017, the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) revised the Wood and Wood Products section of the Miscellaneous and Processed Products Import Manual (MPPM). The MPPM covers all processed articles of plant and non-plant sources that could introduce exotic pests or parasites into the US, and it provides the background, procedures, and reference tables for regulating these goods.
The update is meant to make information easier to find and understand, but it does not change APHIS’ import requirement for wood and wood products. Some of the changes included:
- reorganization of requirements into subsections,
- placing information in shorter tables,
- removing redundant language,
- identifying and eliminating decision “dead ends,” and
- creating a new section in the manual providing clear guidance for importing handicrafts.
APHIS aims to facilitate smoother movement of wood and wood products through ports of entry when importers follow these easier to navigate APHIS requirements.
