The Food Safety and Inspection Service revised export requirements and plant lists for the following countries for June 16-22:

On June 21 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:

The Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) established a new electronic working group on prioritization criteria for the re-evaluation of food additives by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), said the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The working group plans to (1) compile information from members and other organizations, including from the industry producing food additives, on the detailed list of the 107 food colors evaluated by JECFA since 1956; and (2) establish a prioritized list of food colors based on the prioritization tool, it said. Canada will lead the electronic working group. Observers interested in participating in this eWG should provide the name(s), official title, and email address of their representative(s) to Dr. Madeline Weld (madeline.weld@hc-sc.gc.ca) with a copy to the Canadian Codex contact point at Codex_Canada@hc-sc.gc.ca by July 6, 2012. Parties in the U.S. that are interested in contributing to the U.S. participation in this eWG should contact the U.S. Codex Office (USCodex@fsis.usda.gov).

The Department of Agriculture issued a proposed rule that would add reporting for pork (fresh, chilled, and frozen box/primal cuts) and distillers dried grain (DDG) to the Export Sales Reporting Requirements. All exporters of U.S. pork and DDG would be required to report weekly information on the export sales of pork and DDG to the Foreign Agriculture Service. Required reportable information would include the quantity, destination, and marketing year of all pork and DDG export sales, changes in sales, and shipments, USDA said. Comments on the proposed rule are due by Aug. 24.

In testimony before the Senate Finance Committee on June 21, Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack expressed his strong support for ending the application of the Johnson-Vanik Amendment and authorizing permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) for Russia. “By not granting Russia PNTR,” said Vilsack, “U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers will face an uneven playing field. Their competitors in the European Union, Brazil, Argentina, and World Trade Organization member countries around the globe will benefit from Russia’s guaranteed tariff treatment and obligation to apply science-based sanitary and phytosanitary standards.”

The Agricultural Marketing Service said it is accepting nominations by July 20 for the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint 12 individuals from those nominated to succeed members whose terms expire Oct. 31, 2012. The 12 new members will serve terms ending Oct. 31, 2015, AMS said. One member each will be appointed for the Regions 1 (Alaska, Oregon and Washington); 4 (Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas); 5 (Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota); 7 (Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska); 8 (Idaho); 9 (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia); 11 (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania); and 12 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont). Two members will be appointed for each of Regions 2 (California and Hawaii) and 6 (Wisconsin).

On June 20 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:

The Department of Agriculture is requesting nominations to fill an upcoming vacancy on the National Organic Standards Board for an environmentalist. The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint a person to the position to serve a 5-year term of office that will begin Jan. 24, 2013, and run until Jan. 24, 2018, USDA said. Written nominations, with cover letters and resumes, must be postmarked by July 30.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that the U.S. is leading an electronic working group on the revision of the Codex of Practice for Spices and Dried Aromatic Plants (CAC/RPC 42-1995). Parties interested in participating should forward contact information to Jenny Scott, Senior Adviser, Office of Food Safety, Food and Drug Administration (Jenny.Scott@fda.hhs.gov) and to Jane Van Doren, Interdisciplinary Scientist, Food and Drug Administration (jane.vandoren@fda.hhs.gov) by June 29, 2012.

On June 19 the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports: