The Food Safety and Inspection Service recently revised export requirements and plant lists for the following countries:
On April 26, 2012, the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
Sysco Seattle Inc. is recalling about 16,800 pounds of ground beef patties imported from Canada because they may have been contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the Food Safety and Inspection Service announced. The Imported products were produced by New Food Classics of Burlington, Ontario and were imported by Sysco Seattle Inc., for distribution to restaurants in Arizona, Colorado, Texas and Washington.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued a Federal Order to restrict importation of plants for planting known to be hosts of Phytophthora ramorum. Therefore, APHIS is requiring specific countries to have in place an annual pest exclusion program that incorporates monitoring, sampling, testing and a validation process to verify the absence of P. ramorum in a place of production.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails April 25, 2012, announcing changes to some 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.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service said the U.S. submitted comments regarding table olives to an electronic working group from the Committee on Processed Fruits & Vegetables, and issued a report on pomegranate sizing and uniformity from an electronic working group of the Committee on Fresh Fruits & Vegetables. Details follow:
On April 25, 2012, the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) released draft standard RSPM 37 on phytosanitary measures to facilitate the trade of Christmas trees, reports the Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service. Proposed sections of the draft standard include general requirements, specific requirements for producers, requirements of the NAPPO exporting country, compliance with the importing country requirements, and non-compliance with the importing country requirements. Comments on the draft standard are due to Tyrone Jones at John.T.Jones@aphis.usda.gov by July 10, 2012.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said it will host, alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the “2012 Agriculture Stakeholder Conference: Pests Pathways, and Partnerships” on July 17-18, 2012, in Riverdale, MD. The two-day conference is to discuss the future of Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) initiatives and to garner input on how CBP and APHIS can better serve stakeholder needs. APHIS said the conference will bring together stakeholder groups representing the animal product, plant product, and shipping industries as well federal and state regulatory officials to engage in an open dialogue centered on pest exclusion efforts and trade facilitation.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails April 24, 2012, announcing changes to some 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.