On March 27 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes March 27 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.
U.S. exports of high-value agricultural goods to South Korea reached a record $2.9 billion in 2012 as a result of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, said the Foreign Agricultural Service. KFTA, which entered into effect a little over one year ago, has particularly benefited exporters of fruit, tree nuts, dairy, and vegetable products. Corn exports, on the other hand, have dramatically fallen due to a drought in the U.S. and increased competition from Brazil and the E.U., FAS said.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said it is creating an EU poultry trade region comprising 25 member states of the European Union (all except Bulgaria and Romania), and is declaring the new region free of Newcastle disease and highly pathogenic avian influenza. The APHIS final rule, which is effective April 15, establishes requirements for importing live birds and poultry, as well as poultry meat and products, from the new EU poultry trade region. It also allows importation from the EU poultry trade region of hatching eggs under official seal. The rule finalizes a proposal issued by APHIS in July 2012 (see 11071826).
The Agricultural Marketing Service is proposing to maintain its fee for 2013 crop cotton classification services at $2.20 per bale, the same level as in 2012. According to AMS, this fee and the existing reserve are enough to cover the costs of providing classification services for the 2013 crop, including costs for administration and supervision. Comments on the proposed 2013 fee are due by April 12.
On March 26 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes March 26 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 March 25 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes March 25 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 March 22 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports: