CBP has released its Aug. 7 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 58, No. 31), which includes the following ruling actions:

USDA no longer will allow the use of the temporary filing code (999-999-T) in ACE for organic entries without a National Organic Program (NOP) Import Certificate (NOP-IC), starting Sept. 19, CBP said in an Aug. 9 CSMS update.

As CBP deploys measures to ensure de minimis compliance among importers, there are some big-picture items that the agency and Congress need to consider to enable scalability or prevent loopholes, according to Lenny Feldman, managing partner with Sandler Travis.

USDA this month announced its roster of 55 industry officials who will serve across seven agricultural trade advisory committees (ATAC) until 2028. The groups help advise both USDA and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on trade policy or provide technical advice and guidance “from the perspective of their specific product sectors,” the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service said in a press release. The groups include the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee as well as committees focusing on animals and animal products; fruits and vegetables; grains and seeds; processed foods; sweeteners and sweetener products; and tobacco, cotton, peanuts and hemp.

The U.S. Navy is trying to help commercial cargo ships maintain the alternative trade routes companies have found as the U.S. works to end Houthi attacks on ships transiting the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, Vice Admiral George Wikoff said. And although the U.S. has used sanctions to target several Iran-backed networks helping to supply the Houthis, he said the U.S.-designated terror group is increasingly diversifying its suppliers and is becoming a legitimate technology exporter.

The International Trade Commission published notices in the Aug. 8 Federal Register on the following AD/CVD injury, Section 337 patent or other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):

The International Trade Commission seeks comments by Aug. 19 on a Section 337 compliant filed by HydraFacial that alleges eight companies are importing hydrodermabrasion systems that infringe on its patents. In its Aug. 6 complaint, HydraFacial said Sinclair Pharma’s U.S. and U.K. branches, as well as Huadong Medicine, EMA Aesthetics, Aesthetic Management Partners, Advanced Aesthetics Services, James Vaughn and H.R. Meditech, are infringing on patents related to HydraFacial’s systems for skin treatment through mechanical or fluid-based abrasion or exfoliation. HydraFacial seeks a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders banning imports of infringing goods from the eight companies.

The International Trade Commission seeks comments by Aug. 16 on a Section 337 complaint filed by JBS Hair that seeks a general exclusion order banning imports of synthetic braiding hair, the ITC said in a notice Aug. 8. In its complaint, filed Aug. 2, JBS alleges 30 companies are infringing on its patented method of pre-stretching synthetic braiding hair in differing lengths to avoid the added time for braiders to pull tease the hair to make it look natural. JBS Hair also seeks cease and desist orders against those 30 companies, which are all U.S.-based.

The Commerce Department published notices in the Federal Register Aug. 8 on the following AD/CV duty proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):

The Commerce Department has published the preliminary results of its antidumping duty administrative review on oil country tubular goods from Ukraine (Commerce case number A-823-815; CBP case number A-462-326). The agency preliminarily calculated a 1.39% AD rate for the related companies Interpipe Europe S.A., Interpipe Ukraine LLC, PJSC Interpipe Niznedneprovsky Tube Rolling Plant, and LLC Interpipe Niko Tube (collectively, Interpipe). If the agency's finding is continued in the final results, importers of subject merchandise from Interpipe entered July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, will be assessed AD at importer-specific rates. Any changes to rates for Interpipe would take effect on the date of publication in the Federal Register of the final results of this review, due in December.