Dominican Republic awaits word on vegetable pre-clearance program

Growers and shippers in the Dominican Republic are waiting optimistically an action plan to help expand the USDA APHIS pre-clearance program and allow the country to ship additional commodities. Via the USDA-funded Trade Safe project implemented by IESC, the final approval is on a new pre-clearance program for tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. The initiative stems from the five-year, $13.7 million USDA Food for Progress-funded Trade Safe (TraSa) project that is intended to improve the efficiency, coordination, and transparency of trade, commercialization, and safety of food and agricultural products.