U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a press release stating that CBP employs approximately 1,400 agriculture specialists (former inspectors of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service). According to the press release, in FY2004, CBP agriculture specialists intercepted more than 1.5 million prohibited items at U.S. ports of entries, including international airports, land borders, and international mail facilities, inspecting both commercial cargo and passenger/pedestrians. (Press release available at
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a final rule, effective March 7, 2005, that amends its regulations at 9 CFR Parts 93, 94, 95, and 96 regarding the importation of animals and animal products, in order to establish a category of regions that present a minimal risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) into the U.S. via live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts, and adds Canada to this category.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a final rule, effective March 7, 2005, that amends its regulations at 9 CFR Parts 93, 94, 95, and 96 regarding the importation of animals and animal products, in order to establish a category of regions that present a minimal risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) into the U.S. via live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts, and adds Canada to this category.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) seeking comments by March 10, 2005 on whether and how it should amend the regulations in 7 CFR Part 319 that govern the importation of nursery stock (also known as "plants for planting").
Shippers' NewsWire reports that the European Commission (EC) has decided to take eight European Union (EU) member states to the European Court of Justice over their failure to implement maritime safety rules agreed to at the European level. The eight accused are Belgium, Greece, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, and the United Kingdom. (SNW, dated 12/15/04, www.americanshipper.com)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a final rule, effective January 31, 2005, that amends 7 CFR Part 319 in order to, among other things, expand the number of states in which fresh Hass avocado fruit (Persea americana) grown in approved orchards in approved municipalities in Michoacan, Mexico may be distributed.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued an interim rule which, effective January 1, 2005, amends the user fee regulations at 7 CFR Part 354 by adjusting the fees charged for certain agricultural quarantine and inspection (AQI) services for fiscal years (FYs) 2005 through 2010.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS') Web site has updated its tables which list information on trade bans imposed by foreign countries on U.S. exports due to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and avian influenza (avian flu).
ShippersNewsWire reports that, among other things, the second draft of revised C-TPAT security standards for importers moves away from characterizing the measures as 'minimum standards' and instead says importers should apply various prescriptions based on an 'assessment of their risk.' The articles adds that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has circulated the draft among customs compliance managers at 16 major corporations, and is asking for comments by December 3, 2004. (ShippersNewsWire@americanshipper.com, dated 11/23/04)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a final rule, effective December 10, 2004, to amend its regulations at 7 CFR 319.56 on the importation of fruits and vegetables 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.