The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a proposed rule that would allow pink and red tomatoes grown in approved registered production sites in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama to be imported in the U.S. without treatment. 7 CFR 319.56-2dd sets forth administrative instructions allowing the import of tomatoes from countries where the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly, Ceratitis capitata) is present. The proposed rule would add a new paragraph at 7 CFR 319.56-2dd(f) to set forth administrative instructions concerning the import of such tomatoes from these countries. Written comments must be received on or before April 7, 2006. (D/N APHIS-2006-0009, FR Pub 02/06/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-1553.pdf)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued an interim rule that amends 9 CFR 94.6(d) to add Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine to the list of regions where the H5N1 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza (avian flu) is considered to exist, effective February 7, 2006.1
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a notice announcing the availability of grant funding under the fiscal year (FY) 2006 Border Enforcement Grant (BEG) program. According to the FMCSA, this is a discretionary grant program that provides funding for carrying out border commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety programs and related enforcement activities and projects. Entities and states that share a land border with another country are eligible to receive grant funding. Applications must be sent no later than March 15, 2006. (FR Pub 01/31/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-1155.pdf)
CBP has posted to its Web site a revised version of a document entitled: Operating Procedures for Trade Community Regarding Implementation of the Wood Packaging Materials (WPM) Regulation." (See ITT's Online Archives or 09/15/05 news 05091505 for BP summary of initial version.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has updated its set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) wood packaging material (WPM) regulations that took effect September 16, 2005.
According to sources at the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the European Union (EU) will postpone the implementation of its debarking and "DB' marking requirements for wood packaging material (WPM) until January 1, 2009.
American Shipper reports that some in the import community are wondering if President Bush's pick of U.S. Secret Service Director W. Ralph Basham to be the agency's next commissioner will predispose the agency to place a higher priority on stricter security measures at the expense of the free flow of trade. (American Shipper, dated 01/31/06, www.americanshipper.com )
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced that the fourth tranche of low-duty fiscal year (FY) 2006 refined sugar tariff rate quota (TRQ) additional allocation did not oversubscribe at opening moment on January 24, 2006. As a result, all entries presented at opening have been charged and may be released. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/25/06 news, 06012545, for BP summary of the opening of the fourth tranche.)(QBT-06-511, dated 01/25/06, available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/qbts/qbt2006/06_511.ctt/06_511.doc.)
(Part II - Final)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a proposed rule that would amend 7 CFR Part 319 in order to list a number of fruits and vegetables from certain parts of the world as eligible, under specified conditions, for importation into the U.S. APHIS states that this would provide the U.S. with additional types and sources of fruits and vegetables while continuing to protect against the introduction of quarantine pests through such imports.