Who Needs a Phytosanitary Certificate?

Protection for Texas Agriculture is ensured through phytosanitary inspections of plant products grown in nurseries, fields or greenhouses, including their premises, growing media, containers or packaging. Pest-free products are issued a phytosanitary certificate or permit for shipment to pest-free areas, if requested by a grower and/or shipper. Growing season inspections are conducted to determine freedom from pests of field crops and vegetable plants.

As a prerequisite for phytosanitary certification, samples are collected and sent for diagnosis to determine the pest species present.

State or federal phytosanitary certificates are issued under the authority of the state departments of agriculture and USDA-APHIS-PPQ for products imported into or exported from Texas.

Compliance

 

No state or federal phytosanitary certificate is issued for a quarantined article if the quarantine requirements of the importing state or country are not met.

User Fees 

Increase for Federal Phytosanitary Certificates The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) issues Federal Phytosanitary Certificates (FPCs) on behalf of the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for plants and plant products exported internationally.

For cost recovery purposes USDA has increased the cost of FPCs and in addition is assessing administrative fees for each FPC issued.  

Beginning October 1, 2011, the cost of manually and electronically issued FPCs will increase from $104 to $106 per certificate issued (plus USDA administrative fees).   There will be a $6 administrative fee for each FPC issued electronically and a $12 administrative fee for each FPC issued manually.   Total costs after each administrative fee will be $112 for electronically issued FPCs and $118 for manually issued FPCs.  

For additional information about the changes or to request a FPC, contact your nearest TDA regional office at:

Region 1 - West Texas Regional Office: (806) 799-8555
Region 2 - North Texas Regional Office: (214) 631-0265
Region 3 - Gulf Coast Regional Office: (713) 921-8200
Region 4 - South Central Regional Office: (210) 820-0288
Region 5 - Valley Regional Office: (956) 787-8866