APHIS Authorizes Importation of Fragrant Pears from an Additional Area in China

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is authorizing the importation of fragrant pears from an additional production area in China. This completes work on a commodity listed in Phase One of the Plant Health of the Economic and Trade Agreement between the United States of America and The People’s Republic of China. The approved area that can ship fragrant pears now includes the Akesu region of Xinjiang Province, in addition to the already approved Korla region of the same province.

 

“By expanding the area in China from which fragrant pears can be shipped, the United States has fulfilled a commitment made as part of the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach. “We look forward to realizing the benefits that U.S. Agriculture will receive through compliance with all the elements of the deal.”

 

As part of this agreement, APHIS has outlined a series of protective measures to be taken by growers, packers, and shippers that, in combination, minimize pest risks prior to importation into the United States. In this case, the systems approach for fragrant pears includes production site and packinghouse requirements and commercial shipments only. Each shipment must also be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate attesting to place of origin, that all APHIS phytosanitary requirements have been met according to the work plan, and that the consignment was inspected and found free of quarantine pests prior to export.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.