On Sept. 12 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails Sept. 12 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. 11 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:

The Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF) extended the deadline for Member countries and observer organizations interested in joining the electronic Working Group on the revision of maximum levels for lead for various foods in the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed to Sept. 15, said the Food Safety and Inspection Service. Member countries and observer organizations interested in participating in this working group should provide the name(s), official title, and email address of their representative(s) directly to lauren.robin@fda.hhs.gov with a copy to the USCodex@fsis.usda.gov.

The Agricultural Marketing Service is asking for nominations for three producer and four industry representatives to the Peanut Standards Board, which advises the Secretary of Agriculture on quality and handling standards for domestically produced and imported peanuts. Nominations must be received by Oct. 12.

On Sept. 10 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails Sept. 7 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. 7 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:

A working group of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) formed a working group to further develop the scope of the proposed concern form for use by the committee, as well as its format and procedure policy for its use, said the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The working group will take into account the work of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues, which already uses a concern form in its standards development. Member countries and observer organizations interested in participating in this working group should provide the name(s), official title, and email address of their representative(s) to the Brazilian Codex Contact Point (codexbrasil@inmetro.gov.br and suzana.bresslau@agricultura.gov.br) as well as to the Australian Codex Contact Point (codex.contact@daff.gov.au) by Sept. 14.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) should conduct an "immediate review" of the Australian Export Meat Inspection System (AEMIS), said Food and Water Watch, a food safety consumer advocacy group, in a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. The review is necessary after two Australian meat companies using the system were recently delisted by the Food Safety and Inspection Service as being eligible to export their products into the U.S. as a result of food safety violations, the group said. Lobethal Australian and GBP Australia were delisted this summer (here). USDA should no longer treat the AEMIS as an equivalent inspection system and should stop consideration of a privatized inspection model in the U.S., said the group.