The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is recognizing 15 regions as having either negligible or controlled risk for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease). Under new BSE regulations that took effect in March, the decision to concur with the recommendations of the World Organization for Animal Health’s risk classifications means U.S. restrictions on importation of live bovines and bovine products will be relaxed (see 13110403). The new classifications apply to the following countries, and take effect Oct. 1:

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced on Oct. 1 a new program where it will recognize state plant pest management programs on imported products and implement them at the border. Under the new Federally Recognized State Managed Phytosanitary Program (FRSMP), states can petition APHIS to recognize their pest control program on foreign plant pests and, if the request is approved, APHIS will take action at the ports to mitigate the risk of pest introduction. A shipment may be allowed to proceed without remedial measures if steps are taken to ensure it will not enter the state with the recognized phytosanitary program. APHIS may also enter collaborative agreements to allow the state to take action on import shipments containing the pest that moves within its borders.

On Sept. 29 the Foreign Agricultural Service posted the following GAIN reports:

On Sept. 26 the Foreign Agricultural Service posted the following GAIN reports:

The Agricultural Marketing Service is amending its National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances to add biodegradable mulch film as a synthetic substance allowed in production or organic products. The AMS final rule also removes exemptions for nonorganic hops and unmodified rice starch that expired in 2013 and 2009, respectively. The changes take effect Oct. 30.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture found another strain of genetically engineered (GE) wheat at a research facility in Montana, the agency said on Sept. 26, while also announcing it is closing an investigation into a similar case last year. Following the 2013 discovery of GE wheat growing on a farm in Oregon, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan all temporarily suspended imports of U.S. wheat (here). The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has not yet approved any genetically engineered wheat for sale or distribution in U.S. commerce.

On Sept. 25 the Foreign Agricultural Service posted the following GAIN reports:

The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation announced Special Import Quota #7 for upland cotton that will be established on Oct. 2, allowing importation of 14,741,821 kilograms (67,709 bales) of upland cotton. It will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than Dec. 30, and entered into the U.S. by March 30, 2015. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally-adjusted average rate for the period March through May, the most recent three months for which data are available.

On Sept. 24 the Foreign Agricultural Service posted the following GAIN reports:

On Sept. 18-23 the Foreign Agricultural Service posted the following GAIN reports: