The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is removing some conditions on importing live swine, swine semen, pork, and pork products from Europe, as well as restrictions on importing these products from Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Effective Jan. 16, APHIS is removing the requirement for a 40-day holding period for swine semen, and donor boars after the collection of swine semen, for the European CSF (classical swine fever) region. The agency is also adding Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia to the APHIS-defined European CSF region, adding Estonia, Slovakia, and Slovenia to the list of regions APHIS considers free of swine vesicular disease (SVD), and adding Slovakia and Slovenia to the list of regions APHIS considers free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and rinderpest. These actions will relieve some restrictions on the importation into the U.S. of certain animals and animal products from those regions, APHIS said.

On Dec. 12 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes Dec. 12 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.

On Dec. 11 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:

On Dec. 10 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes Dec. 10 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.

On Dec. 7 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:

On Dec. 6 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:

The Food Safety and Inspection Service revised export requirements and plant lists for the following countries for Nov. 30 - Dec. 6:

The Food Safety and Inspection Service said it's adopting a policy, effective Feb. 8, to no longer allow meat and poultry products, including imported products, to enter into U.S. commerce until all test results have been received by FSIS. The agency will withhold its determination as to whether the imported or domestic products are not adulterated until it receives the results of sampling, it said. Importers will, however, be able to move products away from the border pending test results as long as the product moves under company seal and does not enter into U.S. commerce. According to FSIS, this proposed policy will reduce the number of recalls and reduce the amount of unsafe food that reaches store shelves.