Federal Law on Plant Health of Mexico

The Federal Law on Plant Health regulates the phytosanitary measures necessary for the protection of plants in Mexico. Its main objective is to prevent, control and eradicate pests that affect plants, thus guaranteeing the sanitary quality of the country's agricultural and forestry products. The law establishes the bases for the application of phytosanitary measures, determining the requirements for the mobilization, import and export of plants and their products, as well as the procedures for the verification and certification of their compliance. Phytosanitary measures seek to prevent and control the spread of pests through the implementation of specific campaigns and quarantines. The law stipulates the creation of phytosanitary campaigns that must clearly establish the geographic areas of application, the pests to be combated, the affected plant species and the control methods to be used. Import and export control establishes that the mobilization of plant products within the country requires a phytosanitary certificate when they come from areas under phytosanitary control. The import of vegetables is subject to control to ensure that they comply with the requirements established by the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA). The law also focuses on the implementation of contamination risk reduction systems, promoting good agricultural practices (GAP) to minimize contamination risks in the primary production of vegetables. It establishes the need to regulate, verify and certify these systems to ensure that vegetable products meet quality and safety standards.