The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a notice that lists those applying for ocean transportation intermediary licenses as a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC), ocean freight forwarder (FF) or NVOCC/FF OTI, as follows:
The Secretary of State on September 1, 2010 has designated Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The Secretary also designated TTP as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under E.O. 13224. Furthermore, the Secretary designated two senior TTP leaders, Hakimullah Mehsud and Wali Ur Rehman, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under E.O. 13224. The Rewards for Justice Program has also announced a five million dollar reward for any information leading to the arrest of Mehsud or Rehman.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing a November 2, 2010 meeting on the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene to be held in Washington, D.C. The Call in Number is 1-866-692-3158, and the passcode is 5986642. Delegates to Codex committees schedule public meetings prior to their committee meetings to inform the public about the meeting agenda and proposed U.S. positions on the issues. During these public meetings delegates also receive comments from interested parties on Codex issues.
The Federal Aviation Administration has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a proposed rule that would establish one set of flight time limitations, duty period limits, and rest requirements for pilots. The rulemaking is necessary to ensure that pilots have the opportunity to obtain sufficient rest to perform their duties. The objective of the rule is to contribute to and to improve aviation safety.
On August 27, 2010, the Alcohol and Tobacco and Tax and Trade Bureau posted guidance on the destruction of unpaid wine and/or spirits. The guidance is in the form of a new Wine FAQ (No. 26) that asks the question: "I have untaxpaid wine and/or wine spirits that I would like to destroy. How do I receive approval for the destruction of wine or wine spirits without payment of tax?"
The Drug Enforcement Administration has issued a direct final rule which will update the Table of Exempt Chemical Mixtures in response to DEA’s review of new applications for exemption, in order to add 21 chemical mixtures to the list of those exempted from the application of certain provisions of the Controlled Substances Act. This rule is effective November 1, 2010, unless adverse comment is received by October 4, 2010, which may suspend the effectiveness of the order until the Administrator has reconsidered the application in light of the comments and objections filed.
on August 31, 2010, the Economic Research Service and Foreign Agricultural Service issued their "Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade". They state that fiscal year 2011 agricultural exports are forecast at $113 billion, up $5.5 billion from the revised 2010 forecast. Much of the increase is due to greater grain and feed shipments, (up $4.3 billion from the revised 2010 forecast) due to sharply reduced competition from Russia, Kazakhstan, and the Ukraine. Horticultural exports are forecast up $1.7 billion from 2010 on strong demand from Canada, the EU, and Asian markets. Increased livestock and poultry product exports are expected to more than offset slight declines in dairy product exports. Cotton exports are forecast up significantly with larger domestic supplies and less export competition. The only major category expected to fall is oilseeds, due in part to increased competition from South America.
The DOT's Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports that trade using surface transportation between the U.S. and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 37.6 percent higher in June 2010 than in June 2009, reaching $69.9 billion. The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in June 2010 remained 5.8 percent below the June 2008 level despite the 2009-2010 increase. North American surface freight value rose 4.6 percent in June 2010 from May 2010. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.
In a Radionews item, USDA Secretary Vilsack said efforts are continuing forward in working with Japan to allow more U.S. farm products, including beef, into that country.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a final rule, effective September 1, 2010 that revises the appendices to its Dairy Tariff-Rate Import Quota Licensing Regulation (7 CFR 6.20-6.37) for the 2010 tariff-rate quota year to reflect the cumulative annual transfers from Appendix 1 to Appendix 2 for certain dairy product import licenses permanently surrendered by licensees or revoked by the Foreign Agricultural Service.