information note for wto members imported table grapes from the united states of america state of california available in english 44 pages . following the discovery post border of live exotic spiders including black widow spiders on shipments new zealand temporarily suspended imports of californian table grapes in november 2001 as the risks to human health and the environment were no longer considered acceptable. this suspension was notified to members in g sps n nzl 160 13 november 2001 . health impact and pest risk assessments have been completed along with recommended mitigation measures for the trade in table grapes from the united states of america state of california australia mexico and chile. these documents were notified to members in g sps n nzl 174 26 june 2002 . on the basis of these documents and comments received an import health standard for fresh table grapes from california and the associated procedures for the management of regulated spiders associated with this pathway have been issued. the new measures contained within the documents are made on human health grounds. the measures in summary include visual inspection of the grapes and packaging for spider life stages at harvest currently done but not specifically targeting spiders tightening of specifications for the type of packaging to be used tightening of procedures for fumigation of grapes and packaging with so2 co2 gas all grape boxes be identifiable back to a treatment facility nz maf inspectors will audit these facilities prior to exports beginning and at various times during the export season the product will be subject to post treatment security measures to prevent re-infestation with exotic spiders and there will be an official inspection of a sample of 920 grape bunches and their packaging with a zero acceptance level for exotic spiders per consignment and the level of spider interceptions and post-border detections will be reviewed at the end of the season and any possible changes to the programme initiated at that time. a third document agreed phytosanitary procedures for the effective management of homalodicsa coagulata and xylella faxtidiosa associated with the importation of fresh table grapes vitis vinifera from california to new zealand associated with this import health standard has been amended to bring the text in line with the other two documents. no changes have been made to the measures specified within this document. as these are trade-facilitating measures resulting from previously notified risk assessment documents and negotiated and agreed with the usa the import health standard has been issued and trade has been allowed to commence from 6 september 2002. however newzealand will still take any comments into account and amend the import health standard if necessary