USDA Soil Permit Compliance: Protecting U.S. Ecosystems
Soil can be a vector for harmful bacteria, plant viruses, fungi, nematodes, and other biological propagules. To safeguard U.S. agriculture and natural resources, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) strictly regulates the movement of soil, both from foreign sources and from domestic areas under federal quarantine.
Under USDA regulations, soil from all foreign countries, U.S. territories, and federally quarantined areas within the United States may only be moved into or through the continental U.S. when specific conditions and safeguards established by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) are met.
Domestic Regulated Soil: What You Should Know
Domestic Regulated Soil refers to soil originating from areas within the continental United States that are under USDA quarantine due to the presence/potential presence of plant pests or diseases. These designations are based on whether soil may act as a pathway for pest or pathogen transmission.
The USDA frequently updates a map identifying regulated domestic areas, and compliance requirements can change as quarantines are added or lifted. It’s also important to note that soil from Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands is regulated as foreign soil, not domestic.
Merit Laboratories maintains an active USDA Soil Import Permit and operates in compliance with these federal requirements. This ensures that regulated soils are received, handled, and analyzed in a manner that protects both public and environmental health while supporting the scientific and regulatory needs of our clients.
By maintaining USDA permitting and staying current with regulatory updates, our laboratory helps ensure that your soil investigations proceed efficiently, responsibly, and in full regulatory alignment—no matter where your project originates.
Why This Matters
For environmental investigations, regulatory studies, and research projects, improper handling of regulated soil can result in shipment delays, noncompliance findings, or sample rejection. Working with a laboratory that maintains a USDA Soil Import Permit helps ensure your samples move smoothly through regulatory requirements, protecting project timelines while reducing biosecurity risk. It also provides confidence that soil is managed in accordance with federal safeguards designed to protect U.S. ecosystems.
Merit Laboratories is one of the nation’s leading environmental testing laboratories, analyzing air, soil, wastewater, groundwater, drinking water, and other sample matrices for a diverse range of analytical parameters. Merit is designated as a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE).