Date: Thursday, July 20, 2006

Re:	WOOD PACKING MATERIAL - UPDATE

Dear NASA Member:

Effective July 5, 2006, the Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, began full enforcement of international standards for wood packing material. Customs will order any non-compliant wood packing material to be immediately returned to the country that shipped it.

Customs and APHIS began phasing in International Standard Phytosanitary Measure 15 in September 2005. It is designed to prevent the spread of insects and plant diseases through crates, pallets or dunnage.

The measure requires that wood packing material be heat-treated or fumigated, then stamped with an identification code.

Further information may be found at Customs' Web site, at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/commercial_enforcement/wpm/

Best regards,

North American Shippers Association (NASA)
Joan Barrett
NASA/Insurance Administrator