The USDA's Economic Research Service has issued a report on Karnal bunt (KB), a wheat disease of limited distribution in the United States, as affected areas are quarantined to limit spread of the disease. Currently, the KB regulatory program allows the USDA to issue phytosanitary export certificates stating that a wheat shipment is from an area where KB is not known to occur. Some in the wheat marketing chain, particularly elevator operators, find the regulatory program burdensome and advocate ending it. A model developed by the ERS was used to analyze the market effects of ending the certification. An average annual loss of 15.1 percent in export markets for U.S. wheat producers would be only partially offset by increased use of lower priced wheat for domestic livestock feed.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a notice to remind the public of the user fees for fiscal year 2011 (October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011) for import- and export-related services that APHIS provides for animals, animal products, birds, germ plasm, organisms, and vectors; for certain veterinary diagnostic services; and for export certification of plants and plant products.
The Foreign Agriculture Service issued the following GAIN reports:
On August 23, 2010, APHIS updated its Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Animal Product Manual. This Manual provides the background, procedures, and regulatory actions to enforce the regulations governing the import and export of animals, animal products, and animal by-products.
On August 23, 2010, APHIS updated its Miscellaneous and Processed Products PPQ Manual. The manual is used for regulating imported items that are processed and are not intended for propagation.
On August 23, 2010, APHIS updated the Manual for Agricultural Clearance. The manual provides CBP personnel working at airport and maritime locations with the guidelines, directions, and policy for clearing carriers and passengers/crew and controlling garbage and cargo.
On August 23, 2010, FSIS updated its Labeling Compliance Policy Guide on Poultry Food Product Dating. This guidance document conveys current practices and clarifies the requirements of the regulations with regard to the appropriate use of pack dates and slaughter dates on poultry food products.
FSIS has provided updated information for the export of U.S. meat and poultry to the following country:
On August 20, 2010, APHIS updated its PPQ Export Program Manual. This is an operational manual for Authorized Certification Officials to enable them to inspect and issue Federal Export Certificates for plants and plant products. The Manual also provides information that helps exporters meet the plant quarantine import requirements of foreign countries.
The Department of Energy has granted a nationwide limited waiver, effective August 11, 2010, of the Buy American requirements of section 1605 of the the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 with respect to certain motorized DMX iris units; induction lamps and ballasts; enphase micro-inverters; gas/propane boilers; turbochargers; and heating/cooling upgrade kits that will be used on eligible Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy- Recovery Act funded projects.