The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said it changed the port of entry status of the apple ermine moth (Yponomeuta malinellus) to non-actionable. As such, APHIS will no longer regulate apple ermine moth at ports of entry. APHIS said the action is in response to a risk management proposal to deregulate the moth circulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in late July. The National Plant Board concurred with the recommendation. A list of all 48 pests deregulated at the port of entry through the Federally Recognized State Managed Phytosanitary Program is available here.
A pilot project that reduces inspections of meat imported through Canada would loosen safety requirements and is of real concern, said the Safe Food Coalition in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The group, which includes Food and Water Watch, the Consumer Federation of American and the National Consumers League, also complained of bureaucracy of the "Beyond the Border" (BTB) initiative, an effort to facilitate trade and travel between the U.S.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails Sept. 19 announcing changes 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 Sept. 19 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) is asking for comments on the “Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health Claims (CAC/GL 23-1997): Non-Addition of Sodium Salts,” Step 6 on draft Section 7.2, said the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The comments will be considered at the next Session of CCFL, in May 2013. Parties in the U.S. interested in contributing to the U.S. participation in this working group should contact the U.S. Codex Office (USCodex@fsis.usda.gov). Member countries and observer organizations interested in submitting comments should send them to the Canadian Codex Contact Point (codex_canada@hc-sc.gc.ca) with a copy to the Codex Secretariat (codex@fao.org) by Jan. 25, 2013.
On Sept. 18 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Food Safety and Inspection Service announced changes to its beef manufacturing trimmings verification testing programs for E. coli, and is asking for comments on a planned redesign of its E. coli verification testing for beef manufacturing trimmings by Nov. 19. Both actions are in response to a report by the Office of the Inspector General (here). According to FSIS, the changes to the sampling program will increase both the collection rate and the likelihood that it will find positive samples. The proposed redesign of the FSIS E. coli program would make the program more risk-based and enable FSIS to calculate statistical prevalence estimates for E. coli in raw beef manufacturing trimmings.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is requesting comments on information collected for importation of wooden handicrafts from China and poultry from Argentina and Mexico. The information collections include the requirement that all wooden handicrafts imported from China be labeled with a merchandise tag identifying the product manufacturer so that APHIS can track shipments in case of a recall; and several APHIS forms necessary for the import of poultry meat and products and live poultry from Argentina and the Mexican states of Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatan. Comments are due by Oct. 19.
The Agricultural Marketing Service issued a final rule amending the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances to revise, effective Oct. 2, the entry allowing use of methionine in organic production. The final rule revises the entry to reduce the maximum levels of synthetic methionine allowed in organic poultry production. The changes permit the use of synthetic methionine at the following maximum levels per ton of feed after Oct. 1, 2012: laying and broiler chickens -- 2 pounds; turkeys and all other poultry -- 3 pounds. AMS also corrected the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) numbers for the allowable forms of synthetic methionine.
On Sept. 17 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports: