USDA Renews Apple and Grape Export Paperwork
Published Date: 7/17/2026
Notice
Summary
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service wants to keep collecting info from apple and grape exporters to keep things running smoothly under the Export Fruit Acts. This renewal won’t change the rules or costs but helps track exports better. If you’re involved in exporting these fruits, you can share your thoughts by September 15, 2026.
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Keep Export SC-205 Certificates
If you export fresh U.S. apples or grapes to foreign destinations, you must retain a paper or electronic copy of the USDA Export Form Certificate (SC-205) and provide it to USDA on request. The SC-205 is used by Federal or Federal-State Inspection Program (FSIP) inspectors; the notice says the certificate is not completed by exporters and is not filed with USDA by exporters.
Estimated Recordkeeping Time and Counts
USDA estimates the collection averages 0.108 hours per response, with 200 respondents (150 apple and 50 grape shippers/carriers), 90,000 total annual responses, 450 responses per respondent, and 9,750 total annual burden hours.
USDA Inspection Required for Exports
Each export shipment of fresh U.S. apples and grapes shipped to foreign destinations must be officially inspected and certified by USDA under the Export Apple Act and the Export Grape and Plum Act. The notice explicitly excludes grapes shipped to Canada or Mexico and apples shipped in bulk bins to Canada from these inspection/certification requirements.
Carriers No Longer Must Keep SC-205
Under amended procedures approved in 2016 and described in the notice, carriers that transport goods on behalf of shippers are no longer required to maintain a copy of the SC-205 certificate. This reduces a recordkeeping requirement for carriers.
Limited-Quantity Shipments May Be Exempt
The notice states that certain limited quantity provisions may exempt some shipments from the information collection, so some exporters may not need to keep or provide the SC-205 for those exempt shipments.
Plums Not Currently Regulated
Although the Export Grape and Plum Act covers grapes and plums, the notice states that plums are not currently regulated under that Act, so plum shipments are not subject to this information collection.
Renewal Does Not Change Rules/Costs
USDA is requesting renewal of the existing recordkeeping burden for the Export Fruit Acts and states that the renewal will not change the rules or costs of the current information collection. The renewal continues existing procedures rather than adding new requirements.
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