USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation announced March 21 that Special Import Quota #23 for upland cotton will be established March 28, allowing importation of 6,526,283 kilograms (29,975 bales) of upland cotton, unchanged from the previous quota period. The quota will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than June 25, 2024, and entered into the U.S. by Sept. 23, 2024. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the November 2023 through January 2024 period, the most recent three months for which data is available.
USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation announced March 14 that Special Import Quota #22 for upland cotton will be established March 21, allowing importation of 6,526,283 kilograms (29,975 bales) of upland cotton, the same as the previous quota period. The quota will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than June 18, 2024, and entered into the U.S. by Sept. 16, 2024. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the November 2023 through January 2024 period, the most recent three months for which data is available.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service will soon issue its new regulations on voluntary “Product of USA” or “Made in USA” labeling for meat, poultry and egg products, USDA said in a March 11 news release. Under the final rule, establishments using U.S.-origin claims will need to comply with the new requirements by Jan. 1, 2026.
The Agricultural Marketing Service seeks comments by May 10 on a proposal to set new organic standards for mushrooms and pet food. The AMS proposed rule seeks to resolve “varying and inconsistent interpretations of the organic regulations” that have developed in the absence of organic standards specific to organic mushroom production and organic pet food handling, it said. Currently, mushrooms and pet food products are certified organic using the general organic standards, which are “an imperfect fit for both mushroom and pet food production and do not address unique aspects of either product,” AMS said.
USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation announced March 7 that Special Import Quota #21 for upland cotton will be established March 14, allowing importation of 6,526,283 kilograms (29,975 bales) of upland cotton, down from 6,540,756 kilograms (30,041 bales) in the previous quota period. The quota will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than June 11, 2024, and entered into the U.S. by Sept. 9, 2024. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the November 2023 through January 2024 period, the most recent three months for which data is available.
USDA is increasing the FY 2024 tariff rate quota for raw cane sugar by 125,000 metric tons raw value, it said in a notice released March 6. The increase brings the total FY 2024 TRQ, originally set at the 1,117,195 MTRV minimum mandated by the World Trade Organization, to 1,242,195 MTRV, USDA said. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will allocate the increase among supplying countries and customs areas. Raw cane sugar under this quota must be accompanied by a certificate for quota eligibility.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on March 1 announced a ban on imports of live swine, swine germoplasm and unprocessed pork products and byproducts from Albania, after detecting African swine fever in the country. The announcement follows a similar ban announced in January on swine and pork from neighboring Montenegro (see 2401240039).
USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation announced Feb. 29 that Special Import Quota #20 for upland cotton will be established March 7, allowing importation of 6,540,756 kilograms (30,041 bales) of upland cotton, the same as the previous quota period. The quota will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than June 4, 2024, and entered into the U.S. by Sept. 2, 2024. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the October through December 2023 period, the most recent three months for which data is available.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will allow imports of fresh ugu leaves from Nigeria, it said in a notice. An agency pest risk analysis found “the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds,” APHIS said. Imports may be authorized beginning Feb. 26, it said.
USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation announced Feb. 22 that Special Import Quota #19 for upland cotton will be established Feb. 29, allowing importation of 6,540,756 kilograms (30,041 bales) of upland cotton, the same as the previous quota period. The quota will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than May 28, 2024, and entered into the U.S. by Aug. 26, 2024. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally adjusted average rate for the October through December 2023 period, the most recent three months for which data is available.