(Washington, D.C.) – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today announced that more than 9,000 of its members submitted official comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) urging approval of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Docket No. 03-022-3, which would expand market access for Mexican Hass avocados to the entire United States for all 12 months of the year.

“Thousands of CAGW members from all across the country joined in this effort because they feel they deserve access to this product,” CAGW President Tom Schatz said.  “The facts no longer justify keeping import restrictions in place.  Lifting the limits will significantly lower the price of avocados for consumers, and eliminate costly regulations for taxpayers.”

Currently, Mexican Hass avocados are only allowed to be imported into 31 states from October 15 through April 15.  In the past, such restrictions have been based on the argument that there was an unacceptable risk of a pest infestation of domestic avocados.  However, APHIS recently concluded that the Mexican Hass avocado industry has adequate safeguards to prevent a risk of pest infestation, and recommended to the USDA that the restrictions be removed.  USDA held an open comment period on the issue through the end of this week and expects to make a ruling in the next several months.

“Lifting these import restrictions will provide a major benefit to U.S. consumers, both in choice of product and cost.  Consumption of avocados in the United States could increase by 70 percent and the price of avocados to U.S. consumers could fall by as much as 37 percent,” Schatz concluded.  “The overall gain to the U.S. economy would be more than $30 million.  Finally, taxpayers will no longer bear the cost of administering the complex regulations governing avocado imports.”

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.