The fact has been determined by the Secretary of Agriculture, and notice is hereby given:

That injurious fungal diseases of rice, including downy mildew (Sclerospora macrospora), leaf smut (Entyloma oryzae), blight (Oospora oryzetorum), and glume blotch (Melanomma glumarum), as well as dangerous insect pests, new to and not heretofore widely prevalent or distributed within and throughout the United States, exist, as to one or more of such diseases and pests, in Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America, South America, and other foreign countries and localities, and may be introduced into this country through importations of rice straw and rice hulls; and

That the unrestricted importation of rice straw and rice hulls may result in the entry into the United States of the injurious plant diseases heretofore enumerated, as well as insect pests.

To prevent the introduction into the United States of the plant pests and diseases indicated above, the Secretary has determined that it is necessary to restrict the importation of rice straw and rice hulls from all foreign locations, except as otherwise provided in this subpart.

The Administrator may authorize the importation of articles otherwise prohibited by this subpart under conditions specified in a controlled import permit issued in accordance with § 319.6.

The importation of seed or paddy rice is restricted under Subpart—Plants for Planting of this part.

As used in this subpart, unless the context otherwise requires, the term “United States” means the States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands of the United States.