On March 26 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes March 26 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The Agricultural Marketing Service is proposing to maintain its fee for 2013 crop cotton classification services at $2.20 per bale, the same level as in 2012. According to AMS, this fee and the existing reserve are enough to cover the costs of providing classification services for the 2013 crop, including costs for administration and supervision. Comments on the proposed 2013 fee are due by April 12.
The Defense Department adopted, without change, two May 2012 interim final rules implementing the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KFTA) and the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS). The interim final rules classified Korea and Colombia as Free Trade Agreement countries, set thresholds for coverage, and implemented other provisions of the agreements (see 12052205.
The D.C. United States District Court dismissed a whistleblower's action against Staples, OfficeMax, Target, and Industries for the Blind for alleged false country of origin statements on entry documentation to avoid payment of antidumping duties on pencils from China. The anonymous whistleblower pursued the action under the False Claims Act, which allows private citizens to bring suit on behalf of the government over false or fraudulent claims for payment to the federal government. In return, the whistleblower receives a portion of the recovered funds. But to bring suit, the whistleblower must have inside information, unless he or she is the original source of public information. In this case, the whistleblower was neither.
A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the International Trade Administration posted to CBP's website March 26, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at addcvd.cbp.gov. (CBP occasionally adds backdated messages without otherwise indicating which message was added. ITT will include a message date in parentheses in such cases.)
The International Trade Commission voted March 22 to institute a Section 337 patent investigation on products having laminated packaging, laminated packaging, and components thereof (337-TA-874). Lamina Packaging Innovations filed a complaint Feb. 20, later amended March 12, alleging that liquor, cosmetics, electronics, and toys are being imported in packaging that infringes on its patents (see 13022130). The company is requesting the ITC issue limited exclusion orders and cease and desist orders against import and sale of infringing packaging by the following respondents:
The International Trade Administration published notices in the March 26 Federal Register on the following AD/CV duty proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
The Environmental Protection Agency is beginning registration reviews for 19 pesticides to determine if they still perform their intended tasks without unreasonable adverse effects on humans or the environment. Comments on each review are due by May 28. See the EPA’s notice for a list of pesticides under review.
The Environmental Protection Agency set pesticide tolerances for thiamethoxam in or on coffee (here), and emamectin benzoate in or on the cucurbit vegetable crop group 9 (which includes cucumbers, squash, watermelon, and muskmelon) (here). The agency also revised its pesticide tolerance for abamectin in or on cotton and strawberries (here). All of the new tolerances are effective March 27. Objections and requests for hearings must be submitted by May 28.