Vice President Mike Pence announced the United States will allow imports of Colombian avocados and Colombia will import more U.S. rough rice.

“Today, I am pleased to announce that the United States has reached an agreement to allow Colombian Hass avocados into the U.S. market,“ Pence said Aug. 14 in Columbia according to a White House transcript.

The Agriculture Department Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service also said it will publish a final rule to allow the importation of fresh Hass avocado fruit from Colombia into the continental United States using an approach designed to make sure imports do not introduce pests.

“The systems approach is a series of overlapping measures taken by growers, packers and shippers that, in combination, minimize pest risks prior to importation into the United States,” a news release from APHIS stated.

“In this case, the approved systems approach for avocados from Colombia will include, but is not limited to, the following: grove and packinghouse certification, monthly inspections for registered groves during the harvest and shipping seasons, grove pest control and sanitation requirements, and inspection at the port of entry,” the release continued.

APHIS noted it published a proposal rule in October, and the final rule will be published in the Federal Register Aug. 15 and will become active on Sept. 14.