On July 10 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
On July 9 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails July 9 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 Agricultural Marketing Service is asking certified producer and importer organizations to nominate candidates to serve on the Cotton Board. AMS is seeking nominees to fill eight member and eight alternate member positions for vacancies in Arizona, Georgia, Texas, and for importers with terms ending December 31, 2015, it said. In addition, a member vacancy in Alabama with a term ending December 31, 2013, will be filled due to a resignation. Members and alternates members, as well as the consumer advisor, serve staggered 3-year terms with no term limits, AMS said.
The Agricultural Marketing Service is proposing to amend the Soybean Promotion and Research Order at 7 CFR 1220 to add a third United Soybean Board member from Mississippi, which would increase the total number of board members to 70 from 69. AMS said it is proposing this change to reflect changes in production levels that have occurred since the board was last reapportioned in 2009. The change would be effective for the 2013 appointment process. Comments on the proposed rule are due by Sept. 10.
Geoffrey Powell, vice president of the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, will be among the panelists on Pest Exclusion and Outreach at the July 17-18 APHIS Agriculture Stakeholder Conference. As a member of Treasury’s COAC group, Powell chaired an Agriculture Subcommittee that addressed some of the needs of APHIS stakeholders and will speak on how that subcommittee worked with APHIS/CBP to reach out to the stakeholders via on-line questionnaires on topics such as visibility of data, exam issues, and delays to cargo, among others, NCBFAA said.
On July 6 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails July 6 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 Codex Alimentarius Commission concluded its 35th Session on July 5, reported the Food Safety and Inspection Service. Highlights of the Commission’s 35th session include:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced its determination of nonregulated status for two genetically engineered (GE) plants, Modified Oil Soybean (Monsanto) and Glufosinate Tolerant Bollworm Resistant Cotton (Bayer), and said it is requesting comments on nine petitions for nonregulated status for nine other plants. Comments will be due 60 days after publication of the petitions in the Federal Register. The nine petitions that APHIS will review cover: