The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will roll out its “Core” partner government agency (PGA) message set in two stages “to allow trade to adjust to the data requirements,” said CBP in a CSMS message Jan. 21. On the Jan. 25 date previously announced as APHIS Core’s mandatory use date, APHIS will require filers to submit message set data for regulated products but will maintain “warning level” Harmonized Tariff Schedule code flagging. Beginning March 15, APHIS will fully enforce submission of its Core message set using reject flagging. “The delay until March 15, 2021, is technical only; filers should start submitting APHIS Core message set data on January 25, 2021,” CBP said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation announced Jan. 14 that Special Import Quota #13 for upland cotton will be established on Jan. 21, allowing importation of 9,464,255 kilograms (43,469 bales) of upland cotton, up from 8,893,540 kilograms (40,847 bales) in the previous quota period. The quota will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than April 20, 2021, and entered into the U.S. by July 19, 2021. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the September 2020 through November 2020 period, the most recent three months for which data is available.
The Agricultural Marketing Service is creating a new promotion, research and information order on pecans, it said in a final rule released Jan. 12. The order will be funded by assessments of 2 cents per pound of “inshell” pecans, and 4 cents per pound of shelled pecans, that are imported into or produced in the U.S. Importers and producers of fewer than 50,000 pounds of inshell pecans per fiscal year, or 25,000 pounds of shelled pecans per fiscal year, would be exempt from the assessments. “The purpose of the program is to strengthen the position of pecans in the marketplace, maintain and expand markets for pecans, and develop new uses for pecans,” AMS said. The rule becomes effective Feb. 12. Collection of the assessments is to start on Oct. 1. The rule also announces the AMS approval of new pecan information collection requirements by the Office of Management and Budget for the operation of the order.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation announced Jan. 7 that Special Import Quota #12 for upland cotton will be established on Jan. 14, allowing importation of 8,893,540 kilograms (40,847 bales) of upland cotton, up from 8,108,926 kilograms (37,244 bales) in the previous quota period. The quota will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than April 13, 2021, and entered into the U.S. by July 12, 2021. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the August 2020 through October 2020 period, the most recent three months for which data is available.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation announced Dec. 31 that Special Import Quota #11 for upland cotton will be established Jan. 7, allowing importation of 8,108,926 kilograms (37,244 bales) of upland cotton, the same as the previous quota period. The quota will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than April 6, 2021, and entered into the U.S. by July 5, 2021. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the July 2020 through September 2020 period, the most recent three months for which data is available.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation announced Dec. 24 that Special Import Quota #10 for upland cotton will be established Dec. 31, allowing importation of 8,108,926 kilograms (37,244 bales) of upland cotton, the same as the previous quota period. The quota will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than March 30, 2021, and entered into the U.S. by June 28, 2021. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the July 2020 through September 2020 period, the most recent three months for which data is available.
The Agriculture Department seeks comments on regulations it is considering on the movement, including importation, of animals modified or developed by genetic engineering. The Dec. 28 advance notice of proposed rulemaking contemplates that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service would conduct assessments of genetically engineered animals, and the Food Safety and Inspection Service would conduct pre-slaughter inspections. Importation and interstate movement would subject to permitting requirements, it says. USDA’s approach would be similar to recent regulations on the movement of genetically engineered plants (see 2005180023), with some differences, the ANPRM says. Comments are due Feb. 26.
Mandatory filing in ACE of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s “Core” partner government agency (PGA) message set begins Jan. 25, 2021, but the agency “strongly recommends” that filers begin using it now, APHIS said in an email sent Dec. 21. APHIS has uploaded a series of six webinars on the PGA message set to its website, covering “a wide range of APHIS-regulated products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, animal products, miscellaneous and processed products, seeds not for planting, and plants for planting as well as a general overview of the APHIS Core message set,” it said. “In addition, we recently posted APHIS Core Message Set Questions and Answers, which covers some of the most commonly asked questions about submitting an APHIS Core Message Set,” the agency said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation announced Dec. 17 that Special Import Quota #9 for upland cotton will be established Dec. 24, allowing importation of 8,108,926 kilograms (37,244 bales) of upland cotton, the same as the previous quota period. The quota will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than March 23, 2021, and entered into the U.S. by June 21, 2021. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the July 2020 through September 2020 period, the most recent three months for which data is available.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to allow imports of citrus fruit from additional regions in Australia, it said in a notice released Dec. 16. The agency intends to allow in citrus fruits from the inland region of Queensland, the shires of Bourke and Narromine in New South Wales, and all of Western Australia, in addition to the already authorized regions of Riverina in New South Wales, the Riverland region of South Australia and Northwest Victoria's Sunraysia region. Imports from the three new regions will still require treatment in some cases, and must be accompanied by phytosanitary certificates. Comments are due to APHIS by Feb. 15, 2021.