The Food Safety and Inspection Service said the public meeting for the 35th Session or the Codex Alimentarius Commission will be June 5 in Washington, D.C. The public meeting will discuss U.S. draft positions for the items on the agenda for the Commission, including adoption of proposed standards and amendments to existing standards, the proposed revocation of existing standards, the approval of new work proposals and budgetary matters. The Commission will meet in Rome, Italy, July 2-7, 2012. Individuals may also participate via teleconference by calling 1-888-858-2144; Participant Code: 6208658. Agenda for the meeting with links to documents to be discussed available here.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails June 4, 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 National Organic Program is changing listings for several substances and renewing 200 others that were scheduled to expire this year for substances allowed or prohibited in organic agriculture, said the Department of Agriculture. The final results of the NOP’s 2012 five year sunset review, which was sent to the Federal Register, renews over 200 listings and makes changes to the following substances, among on the National List, said USDA (unless otherwise noted, all renewals and changes are effective June 27, 2012):
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails May 31, 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 Food Safety and Inspection Service revised export requirements and plant lists for the following countries for the week of May 25 through May 31, 2012:
The Food Safety and Inspection Service confirmed that it will implement routine verification testing for six Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), in addition to E. coli O157:H7, in raw beef manufacturing trimmings. Beginning June 4, FSIS will implement routine verification testing for six additional STECs (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145) in raw beef manufacturing trimmings (domestic or imported) derived from cattle slaughtered on or after June 4, 2012.
On May 25, 2012, the Foreign Agricultural Service published its 2012 World Trade Organization safeguard trigger levels in the Federal Register. However, FAS said the attached annex, which lists the quantity trigger levels for additional duties to be imposed on some products pursuant to the WTO Agreement on Agriculture, erroneously listed the quantity triggers and time periods from last year. FAS said they will publish a correction in the Federal Register soon.