The Agricultural Marketing Service announces a Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee public meeting on September 13-14, 2010. Topics of discussion will include: GAP harmonization and audit requirements, food safety updates, local farmer/education initiatives, commodity purchasing programs, and working group reports and recommendations to the full committee.
Representatives of the U.S. and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) recently convened the sixth meeting of the U.S.-UEMOA Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council. The two sides discussed a broad range of trade and investment-related issues, including implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, cooperation in the World Trade Organization, and issues relating to regional integration, agriculture, business climate and investment, infrastructure and trade capacity building.
The Department of Agriculture reports that U.S. officials are once again working to get U.S. poultry into Russia, after that country slapped new conditions onto an agreement that had been signed three weeks ago.
In response to a question on the UAE’s and other countries (India, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia) decisions on the Blackberry at the State Department's August 4, 2010 daily press briefing, State Dept Assistant Secretary Crowley stated that the U.S. was in touch with the United Arab Emirates and other governments to better understand what their concerns and their plans are.
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued two notices that either reissue or revoke an ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) license, as follows:
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announces a phone meeting of the Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors on August 12, 2010 to continue its work in developing and implementing the Unified Carrier Registration Plan and Agreement.
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a notice that lists those applying for ocean transportation intermediary licenses as a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC), ocean freight forwarder (FF) or NVOCC/FF OTI, as follows:
The International Trade Administration's U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service is extending the application deadline to August 13, 2010 for its Executive Green Information & Communication Technology & Energy Efficiency Trade Mission to Mexico City from September 27 -- 29, 2010.
The U.S. China Economic and Security Review Commission has updated its list of hearings scheduled for the 2010 report cycle. As additional hearings are scheduled they will be announced in the Federal Register and posted to USCC's web site. The full agenda for each hearing will be posted to the web site one week prior to the hearing date.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has introduced a new training video that it states will help make the highways safer for cargo tank drivers and motorists alike. The video provides cargo tank drivers with best practices and safety tips on how to avoid rollover crashes while transporting hazardous materials. Developed in partnership with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the National Tank Truck Carriers, the “Cargo Tank Driver Rollover Prevention Video” uses driver interviews and on-road scenarios to highlight the factors that contribute to rollovers. The video will be distributed to cargo tank motor carriers nationwide, and is available online.