Last spring, the Chinese government requested access to the U.S. market for its sand pear (Pyrus pyrifolia), which is the Japanese Nashi Asian pear. U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will conduct an assessment and go through the rule-making process in order to determine if sand pears should be allowed into this country and, if so, how. China is already allowed to ship Ya pears to the United States and is expected to begin shipping fragrant pears this fall. Powers said under current rules, APHIS must conduct a separate pest-risk assessment for each variety of a […]