Smut Fungus Prompts USDA Ban on Raw Peanuts from Brazil, Argentina

Imports of raw peanuts from Argentina and Brazil won’t be allowed into the U.S., the Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said Oct. 25.

The move will make it harder to get the legumes from one of the U.S.'s top sources, but it won’t affect processed peanuts such as peanut butter and roasted peanuts, APHIS said.

The ban is a response to concern about the fungal disease peanut smut. According to APHIS, there is a high infection rate among commercial peanut production areas in Argentina. The smut is also present in wild peanuts in Brazil, which lacks official ...