by Jason Ortega, JD/MBA
Vice President, Public Affairs, NWPCA
On September 21st, the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) held a webinar entitled The Lacey Act Declaration Requirements for Wood Packaging. NWPCA President & CEO Brent McClendon moderated the webinar with presentations from Karen Williams, Compliance Specialist, The Lacey Act Program, United States Department of Agriculture, and Michael E. Lehar, LCB/CCS/CES, Manager Regulatory Affairs, A.N. Deringer, Inc. The webinar was simultaneously translated into French and Spanish.
Effective October 1st, there are new declaration requirements for U.S. imports of empty wood packaging. These declaration requirements result from the implementation of the Act’s Phase Six schedule of enforcement, which includes boxes, crates, and pallets.
For several years, the NWPCA worked with its partners to engage USDA APHIS on Phase Six enforcement. We successfully advocated for more than a year delay in implementing the Lacey
declaration requirement until we could develop a viable process that would meet the requirements of the Lacey Act while not unnecessarily restricting commerce and overly burdening our members and partners.
Starting in October, U.S. Customs & Border Protection will require declaration forms for empty, new wood packaging imported into the United States. Wood packaging under load is statutorily exempt from the Lacey Act. NWPCA also successfully advocated for an exemption to the declaration
Implications of the Lacey Act for New and Used Solid Wood Packaging
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