Plant Export Certification

Plant Export Certification

The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) helps Georgia farmers and exporters by providing certification for plants being exported out of state.

 

Highlights

  • About this Program

    GDA helps Georgia farmers and exporters by providing inspections and export certification for plants, agricultural commodities, and other items being exported out of state. We strive to prevent the spread of pests by inspecting products before they’re shipped. We issue two types of certificates:

    • State Phytosanitary Certificates for interstate export of agricultural products.

    • Federal Phytosanitary Certificates for the international export of agricultural products.

    We also take part in commodity export certification programs, which help the shipment of commodities to states that regulate Georgia for certain pests.

  • Exporting to Other States

    Each state in the U.S. has rules governing the entry of plants, agricultural commodities or other items that could spread pests from other states. Some states require a phytosanitary certificate to accompany the shipment, which confirms that a state inspector has found the items to be healthy and free of pests. Not all agricultural commodities require it, and each state’s requirements are different. Contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture before shipping an agricultural commodity to another state to determine if a certificate is required by the destination state.

    Agricultural producers can also participate in commodity export certification programs for items exported to states that regulate Georgia for certain pests. For more information on these programs, please contact us using information below.

  • Exporting to Foreign Countries

    GDA issues Federal Phytosanitary Certificates under a MOU with the Plant Protection and Quarantine section of USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

    Each foreign shipment must be inspected, and you must submit an application through the USDA’s web-based PCIT certification program: https://pcit.aphis.usda.gov/pcit. It’s used to issue, store, and track electronic copies of federal export certificates. PCIT allows you to quickly create and submit applications for phytosanitary certificates to export commodities.

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