1. (a) An inspector ¹ or person operating under a compliance agreement will issue a certificate for the interstate movement of a regulated article approved under such compliance agreement if he or she determines that the regulated article:

   1. (1) Is eligible for unrestricted movement under all other applicable Federal domestic plant quarantines and regulations;
   2. (2) Is to be moved interstate in compliance with any additional conditions deemed necessary under section 414 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7714) to prevent the spread of the imported fire ant; ² and

   3. (3)

      1. (i) Is free of an imported fire ant infestation, based on his or her visual examination of the article;
      2. (ii) Has been grown, produced, manufactured, stored, or handled in a manner that would prevent infestation or destroy all life stages of the imported fire ant;
      3. (iii) Has been treated in accordance with part 305 of this chapter; or.
      4. (iv) If the article is containerized nursery stock, it has been produced in accordance with § 301.81-11.

2. (b) An inspector will issue a limited permit for the interstate movement of a regulated article not eligible for a certificate if the inspector determines that the regulated article:

   1. (1) Is to be moved interstate to a specified destination for specified handling, utilization, or processing (the destination and other conditions to be listed in the limited permit), and this interstate movement will not result in the spread of the imported fire ant because the imported fire ant will be destroyed by the specified handling, utilization, or processing;
   2. (2) Is to be moved interstate in compliance with any conditions that the Administrator may impose under section 414 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7714) to prevent the spread of the imported fire ant; and
   3. (3) Is eligible for interstate movement under all other Federal domestic plant quarantines and regulations applicable to the regulated article.

3. (c) An inspector shall issue blank certificates to a person operating under a compliance agreement (in accordance with § 301.81-6) or authorize reproduction of the certificates on shipping containers, or both, as requested by the person operating under the compliance agreement. These certificates may then be completed and used, as needed, for the interstate movement of regulated articles that have met all of the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section.

   (Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0579-0088)

¹ Inspectors are assigned to local offices of APHIS, which are listed in local telephone directories. Information on local offices may also be obtained from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Domestic and Emergency Operations, 4700 River Road Unit 134, Riverdale, Maryland 20737-1236.

² An inspector may hold, seize, quarantine, treat, apply other remedial measures to, destory, or otherwise dispose of plants, plant pests, or other articles in accordance with sections 414, 421, and 434 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7714, 7731, and 7754).

[57 FR 57327, Dec. 4, 1992, as amended at 59 FR 67133, Dec. 29, 1994; 59 FR 67609, Dec. 30, 1994; 66 FR 21052, Apr. 27, 2001; 75 FR 4240, Jan. 26, 2010; 87 FR 80013, Dec. 29, 2022]