The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation on Feb. 23 announced Special Import Quota #23 for upland cotton will be established on March 2, allowing importation of 13,556,910 kilograms (62,266 bales) (here). It will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than May 30, 2017, and entered into the U.S. by Aug. 28, 2017. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the period September through November, the most recent three months for which data are available.

The Agricultural Marketing Service is allowing more time for comments on its proposal to create a new research, promotion and information order for organic products, it said (here). Under the proposed rule, issued in January (see 1701170017), importers that import organic products worth over $250,000 in transaction value reported to CBP would pay an assessment of 0.1% of the transaction value imported. Domestic handlers and producers would pay the same rate on the value of their sales. The money would fund an organic research and promotion program, AMS said. AMS is also extending the period for comments on procedures for a referendum it would hold before implementing any promotion order, it said (here). Comments on both notices are now due April 19.

The Agricultural Marketing Service is asking for comments on whether it should hold a referendum on the continuation of the cotton research and promotion order’s importer requirements, it said (here). The referendum would decide whether to continue amendments to the order adopted in 1990 that established a fee on imported cotton and cotton products and added importer representation to the Cotton Board. Even if it determines a referendum is not warranted, AMS will provide the opportunity to sign up for a referendum and will hold the referendum if requested by 10 percent of those voting in the most recent referendum (though not more than 20 percent from among cotton importers or a single state). Comments are due April 28.

The Department of Agriculture is increasing the fiscal year 2017 tariff rate quota for refined sugar by 40,000 metric tons raw value, it said (here). The increase brings the FY 2017 TRQ for refined sugar, originally set at the 162,000 MTRV, to 202,000 MTRV, USDA said. Entry of this sugar will be permitted beginning March 1, it said. The increased amount is reserved only for specialty sugars, USDA said.

The Agricultural Marketing Service is again extending the comment period, this time until April 24, on proposed changes to export requirements for certain commodities to allow for electronic filing, it said (here). AMS's Dec. 5 proposed rule would require shippers of apple and grape exports to enter an Export Form Certificate number or a USDA-defined exemption code into the Automated Export System (AES) (see 1612050041). The proposal would also define “shipper,” shift the current file retention requirement from carriers to shippers, and require shippers to provide, upon request, copies of the certificates to AMS, the agency said in the proposal.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service is extending the period for comments on proposed changes to nutrition labeling requirements for meat and poultry products, it said (here). The Jan. 19 proposed rule (see 1701190019), which would also apply to catfish, would align FSIS nutrition labels with the new labeling scheme adopted by the Food and Drug Administration in May (see 1605200021). FSIS would revise the information required on nutrition facts labels, adopt FDA's new format with larger type for calorie and serving information, and adopt new reference values for pregnant and lactating women and children under age 4. Single serving size and dual column labeling would be required for certain containers, and recordkeeping required for some nutrients. Comments are now due April 19.

The Agricultural Marketing Service is allowing more time for comments on a proposal that would end exemptions that allow the use in organic products of 11 non-organic substances, it said (here). Under the Jan. 18 proposed rule, exemptions would end for lignin sulfonate, furosemide, magnesium carbonate, Chia, dillweed oil, frozen galangal, inulin, frozen lemongrass, chipotle chile peppers, Turkish bay leaves and whey protein concentrate (see 1701170020). AMS is considering the changes as part of its 2017 sunset review of the organic National List. Comments are now due April 19.

The Agricultural Marketing Service is extending until April 13 the comment period on a proposal to subject muscle cuts of venison and ground venison to country of origin labeling (COOL) requirements, it said (here). The agency’s Jan. 13 proposed rule would add venison and ground venison to the list of products covered by the COOL regulation, which currently includes lamb, chicken and goat, each in both muscle cut and ground forms (see 1701120016).

The Agricultural Marketing Service will allow more time for comments on an interim final rule amending its regulations to provide for electronic submission of inspection applications for imports subject to federal marketing orders, it said (here). The interim final rule, which took effect Dec. 22, allowed submission of the information required in AMS form SC-357, “Initial Inspection Request for Regulated Imported Commodities,” via the International Trade Data System (see 1612200032). Comments are now due March 23.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is delaying the effective date of its recent final rule amending the regulations related to the Select Agents and Toxins List, it said (here). The January final rule added regulatory provisions to address the inactivation of select agents, address biocontainment and biosafety, and clarify regulatory language concerning security, training, incident response and records (see 1701180084). Originally set to take effect Feb. 21, the changes will now be effective March 21. The delay is meant to comply with a presidential memorandum issued when President Donald Trump took office (see 1701230031).