The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new tolerance levels that would allow the import of more undelinted cottonseed into the U.S. for use as feed for dairy cattle, it said in a Federal Register notice. The EPA said importing more cottonseed is necessary because cottonseed is a critical part of the dairy cattle diet and the 2011 U.S. cotton crop was significantly below average.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails April 9, 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 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is requesting comments by May 7, 2012, on its risk analysis and draft phytosanitary measures for the importation into the continental U.S. of fresh litchi, longan, and rambutan fruit from the Philippines, which is currently not allowed. After reviewing the comments, if the overall conclusions of the risk analysis and the Administrator’s determination of risk remain unchanged following APHIS’ consideration of the comments, then APHIS will authorize the importation of fresh fruit of litchi, longan, and rambutan from the Philippines into the continental U.S.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to begin a test of the Document Image System (DIS), said a April 6 Federal Register Notice that provided details of the test's first phase. The test will allow importers and brokers that use the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) to file certain government forms through the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).
The phone number for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) National Center for Import and Export (NCIE) centralized call center changed to 301-851-3300 on April 2. Callers with questions for NCIE will no longer need to search for a direct number to any of the many units within NCIE, APHIS said. By dialing the new number, callers can reach the NCIE unit they need.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said that bovine germplasm collected in the European Union after June 1, 2011 will not be eligible for importation to the U.S. The ban follows additional restrictions that APHIS placed, and that took effect February 21, 2012, on shipments of ruminant semen and germplasm originating from the European Union (EU) and other countries that are not formally part of the EU but follow EU legislation. The restrictions were imposed to address the “emergence of Schmallenberg virus in Europe.” Thought to be distributed by flying insects such as midges and possibly mosquitoes, the virus is not known to be present in the U.S., and has not been reported to be of human health concern. Infection with the virus causes transient disease in adult cattle, sheep and goats, resulting in production losses; but has also been associated with a high percentage of fetal malformations, abortions, dystocias and death of infected pregnant animals, APHIS said. No treatments or vaccines are available, and testing is currently limited in nature, it said. To be eligible for importation, any consignments of bovine germplasm, originating from the EU countries must include a statement on the official export health certificate that they were collected prior to June 1, 2011, APHIS said.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails April 2, 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 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued an email March 29, 2012, announcing changes to a Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manual. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails March 28, 2012, announcing changes to various 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.
Officials from Customs and Border Protection and Canada Border Services Agency reiterated the details of the "Beyond the Border" action plan during townhall meetings in Niagara, NY and Toronto on February 28-29, 2012. The presentations describe specific actions and 2012-2014 target dates to achieve goals such as: (i) common data elements for advance cargo screening; (ii) mutual recognition of air cargo security programs for passenger aircraft; (iii) attempted alignment of Canada’s Customs Self Assessment (CSA) and the U.S. Importer Self Assessment (ISA) programs; (iv) assessment on ways to move wood packaging material inspections away from the border; etc.