The Food and Drug Administration has issued a notice requesting comments on the existence and use of voluntary third-party certification programs for food and feed (including pet food).

The Food and Drug Administration has issued (1) an updated document that provides a country-by-country list of the number of food facilities registered with the FDA as of January 29, 2008, and (2) a final rule that updates the fax numbers for food facility registration.

The International Trade Commission has issued a limited exclusion order on court-ordered remand with respect to five patents against the infringing products of Dominant Semiconductors Sdn. Bhd. in its section 337 patent-based investigation of certain light-emitting diodes and products containing same.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a notice and press release announcing that it has reached a provisional settlement agreement with Reebok International Ltd. in order to settle allegations that Reebok imported and distributed charm bracelets that contained toxic levels of lead in violation of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act¹.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a final rule, effective September 22, 2008, to amend 16 CFR Part 1610, the Standard for the Flammability of Clothing Textiles (the Standard), to better reflect current consumer practices and technologies and to clarify several aspects of the Standard.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a proposed rule regarding flammability standards for residential upholstered furniture under the Flammable Fabrics Act. The proposed rule would add a new 16 CFR Part 1634 to establish performance requirements for upholstered furniture and certain certification and labeling requirements for manufacturers (and/or importers, see below and BP Note) of such furniture.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule, effective March 31, 2008, amending its fruits and vegetables regulations under 7 CFR Part 319 by clarifying the distinction between plant parts that would be considered plant litter or debris and those that would not, for all imported fruits and vegetables.

The National Intellectual Property Law Enforcement Coordination Council (NIPLECC) has issued a report to the President and Congress which, among other things, lays out a comprehensive strategy for NIPLECC agencies in fiscal year 2008, with a specific focus on the priorities of the Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP!) Initiative.

Alone among developed countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Canada hasn’t taken “meaningful steps” to comply with the WIPO Internet treaties, the International Intellectual Property Alliance said Monday. It appears to be the first time the group, which includes U.S. copyright heavy-hitters such as the RIAA, has called for a primarily English-speaking country to go on the U.S. Trade Representative’s Priority Watch List. It’s reserved for the worst IP offenders. IIPA identified problems with copyright protection, enforcement and market access in 51 countries. It asked the agency to add 43 of those to a watch list, in comments filed with the agency’s so-called Special 301 review.

On January 11, 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau released a report profiling U.S. export companies from 2005-2006.