The Commodity Credit Corporation is accepting applications for programs designed to promote U.S. agricultural exports. Applications may be submitted by Aug. 15 for fiscal year 2018 funding under the following programs administered by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS):

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will hold three public meetings in June to discuss its proposed changes to regulations on importation, interstate movement and release of genetically engineered (GE) organisms, it said (here). The proposed rule, issued in January (see 1701180058), would modify current definitions of what is a GE organism, as well as the criteria used by APHIS to judge whether it regulates GE organisms based on the risk of introduction of plant pests or noxious weeds. Time-limited import permits would be eliminated, as would current notification procedures. The meetings will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 6, Davis, California, on June 13, and Riverdale, Maryland, on June 16. Comments on the proposed changes are due June 19 (see 1702090017).

Drastic changes at the U.S. Department Agriculture's National Organic Program are needed in response to the cheap imports improperly being labeled as organic, the Cornucopia Institute said in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue (here). The letter followed a May 12 article in The Washington Post (here) that examined imported agricultural products labeled "USDA Organic" even though the products may not have met requirements for such a label. Cornucopia, which describes itself as a "national nonprofit farm research organization," called for replacing USDA Deputy Administrator Miles McEvoy, who oversees the NOP. "The next organic scandal is already at the door: the flood of foreign hydroponic imports that are illegal to sell as organic in their country of origin but are being sold in the U.S. as certified organic produce -- even though the U.S. organic standards clearly requires soil stewardship as a prerequisite for organic certification," Cornucopia said. "These foreign imports are already forcing domestic farmers in the Northeast out of retail markets for their produce grown in American soil." The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service didn't immediately comment.

The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation on May 11 announced Special Import Quota #3 for upland cotton will be established on May 18, allowing importation of 13,588,518 kilograms (62,411 bales) of upland cotton (here). It will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than Aug. 15, 2017, and entered into the U.S. by Nov. 13, 2017. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the period December 2016 through February 2017, the most recent three months for which data is available.

The Agriculture Department is creating a position for an under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced on May 11 (here). The 2014 Farm Bill mandated the new position, which will oversee the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and will chair an interagency trade committee including FAS, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Food Safety Inspection Service, the Agricultural Marketing Service and the Federal Grain Inspection Service, USDA said in a report notifying Congress of the new position (here). The under secretary also will meet regularly with the USDA under secretary for food safety and under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs on trade issues requiring regulatory involvement and support.

The Agricultural Marketing Service is delaying until Nov. 14 the effective date of changes to its organic livestock and poultry production requirements, it said (here). The agency's January final rule adds new provisions on livestock handling and transport for slaughter and avian living conditions, and expands and clarifies “existing requirements covering livestock care and production practices and mammalian living conditions," AMS said (see 1701180085). The effective date had already been delayed until May from its original March effective date. AMS is also asking for comments by June 9 (here) on whether it should allow the rule to take effect in November, delay the rule further, or suspend or withdraw the changes.

The Agricultural Marketing Service set its 2017 fees for voluntary grading, inspection, certification, auditing and laboratory services for meat and poultry, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, cotton and tobacco (here). Covered programs include cotton classification under cotton futures legislation (7 CFR 27); cotton classing, testing and standards (7 CFR 28); grading and inspection for approved plants and standards for grades of dairy products (7 CFR 58); inspection, certification and standards for fresh fruits, vegetables and other products (7 CFR 51); processed fruits and vegetables (7 CFR 52); meats, prepared meats and meat products (7 CFR 54); livestock, meat and other agricultural commodities (7 CFR 6); agricultural and vegetable seeds (7 CFR 75); grading of shell eggs (7 CFR 56); grading of poultry and rabbit products (7 CFR 70); services and general information (7 CFR 91); and tobacco inspection (7 CFR 29). Effective dates of fee changes range from June 1, 2017, to Jan. 1, 2018, depending on the product.

The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation on May 4 announced Special Import Quota #2 for upland cotton will be established on May 11, allowing importation of 13,588,518 kilograms (62,411 bales) of upland cotton (here). It will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than Aug. 8, 2017, and entered into the U.S. by Nov. 6, 2017. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the period December 2016 through February 2017, the most recent three months for which data is available.

A recent Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service final rule allowing importation of lemons from northwest Argentina into the continental U.S. (see 1612230018) won't be delayed any further, the agency said May 1 (here). Argentine lemons can be imported into only the Northeastern U.S. during 2017 and 2018, the agency said. The final rule, which was originally set to take effect Jan. 23 (see 1612230018) but was delayed twice, will "go into effect when the stay expires on May 26," APHIS said. The final rule was delayed until March 27 to comply with a memorandum issued by the Trump administration to all executive branch agencies (see 1701230031) and later delayed again to May 26 (see 1703230019). Conditions for importation include registration of places of production and packinghouses, grove sanitation and monitoring, treatment and inspection. Lemons must be harvested green or treated for the Mediterranean fruit fly, and must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Argentine government. The Agriculture Department will work with "Argentina’s National Food Safety and Quality Service (SENASA) to finalize the operational work plan described in the final regulation," APHIS said.

The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation on April 27 announced Special Import Quota #1 for upland cotton will be established on May 4, allowing importation of 13,588,518 kilograms (62,411 bales) of upland cotton (here). It will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than Aug. 1, 2017, and entered into the U.S. by Oct. 30, 2017. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the period December 2016 through February 2017, the most recent three months for which data is available.