On March 31, 2025, the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that its Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will expand the Risk-Based Sampling at Ports of Entry (RBS POE) program. This expansion includes additional lettuce varieties arriving at select U.S. ports of entry beginning the week of March 31.
The RBS POE program is designed to reduce inspections for entities that consistently comply with pest and disease regulations while also incentivizing producers to enhance the quality of their shipments. The expansion will apply specifically to trucks crossing the southern U.S. border carrying lettuce from Mexico. Eligible lettuce varieties now include head lettuce (also known as iceberg), romaine, butterhead, red and green leaf, and other lettuce types.
© USDA
This update enables a more consistent application of RBS POE inspection protocols across a broader range of lettuce commodities. While the entry process and import requirements remain unchanged, PPQ and CBP strongly encourage trade entities to file entries as early as possible and to include APHIS Core Message Set data. Doing so will help ensure shipments are processed in accordance with RBS POE procedures.
For more information:
USDA
Tel: +1 (202) 720-2791
Email: press@usda.gov
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