On May 3, 2012, the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails May 3, 2012, announcing changes to some 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 Food Safety and Inspection Service recently revised export requirements and plant lists for the following countries:
The Commerce Department said Secretary Bryson is in China on his second trip to the country as Commerce Secretary. His first stop is in Beijing where he is participating in the fourth round of the U.S. China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED), along with Secretary of State Clinton, Treasury Secretary Geithner, U.S. Trade Representative Kirk and other U.S. Government officials.
The International Trade Administration announced a work session of the Manufacturing Council on May 10 in Austin, TX. The Council will be conducting work regarding possibly advising the Commerce Secretary regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) negotiations and energy policy, and hear updates on the work being conducted by the Council’s subcommittees. The Council will also be briefed by the ex-officio members present representing the Secretaries of the Treasury, Labor, and Energy on their respective agency’s work in the areas of past Council recommendations. Comments are due by May 7, 2012. No time will be available for oral comments from members of the public attending the session.
The Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office is requesting comments on the proposed National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) program. NNMI would include building a network of up to 15 Institutes for Manufacturing Innovation around the country, serving as regional hubs of manufacturing excellence that will help to make U.S. manufacturers more competitive and encourage investment in the U.S. Each Institute would have a well-defined technology focus to address industrially-relevant manufacturing challenges on a large scale and to provide the capabilities and facilities required to reduce the cost and risk of commercializing new technologies.
The Census Bureau issued AES Broadcast #2012033 as a reminder that the Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) will host an Automated Export System (AES) Compliance Seminar and AESPcLink Workshops in East Lansing, Mich., May 9-10. Also, Census said, The Los Angeles Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders Association will host an AES Compliance Seminar and AESPcLink Workshops in Newport Beach, California May 15-16.
The former acting director of intelligence for Immigration and Customs Enforcement pleaded guilty to defrauding the government of more than $180,000 in a scheme involving fraudulent travel vouchers, and time and attendance claims, ICE reports. James M. Woosley, 48, formerly of Tucson, Ariz., pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of conversion of government money. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled sentencing for July 13, 2012. Under federal guidelines, Woosley faces a likely sentence of 18 to 27 months in prison as well as a potential fine. In addition, as part of his plea agreement, he agreed to forfeiture of the money he wrongfully obtained.
A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the International Trade Administration posted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Web site as of May 3, 2012, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching on the listed CBP message number at http://addcvd.cbp.gov.
Mexico's Diario Oficial of May 3, 2012, lists notices from the Secretary of the Economy as follows: