The International Grain Trade Coalition has requested that NAEGA members complete a short confidential online poll to help assess adoption of electronic means to manage documents like Bills of Lading. We hope all NAEGA member companies respond in the next few days. Responses are due by August 19.
As we understand the current status of biotech trait approvals needed for import in the Philippines, several GMO traits that may be found in U.S. supplies lack needed regulatory acceptance, they include:
New approval pending:
Soybean - MON 87708 X MON 89788 - RR2Xtend stack
Corn – Syngenta 5307 – Duracade which is in several stacks
Renewed Approval needed:
Soybean - A5547-127 – Bayer Liberty Link
Corn - MON 89034 x NK603 (PowerCore / Smart Stax) )
Corn - Mon 88017 - (YieldGuard VT Rootworm)
Corn - Mon 88017 x Mon810 (YieldGuard VT Triple)
Corn - Bt11 x corn DAS59122 x corn MIR604 x corn TC1507 x Corn GA21 (Agrisure Viptera )
In light of this apparent lack of approvals NAEGA is closely coordinating with U.S. government and several industry partners to pursue prompt action to insure acceptability of imported grain, oilseed and products like soybean meal. Approval of GE events in the Philippines had been put on hold after the Philippines Supreme Court ruled in December 2015 that current regulations did not sufficiently cover minimum requirements of the National Biosafety Framework. As a result, the court ordered the Department of Agriculture and other bodies to rewrite current regulations. The Philippine Department of Agriculture was acting to implement new regulations, known as Joint Department Circular No. 1 (JDC) to replace existing regulations nullified by the Supreme Court ruling. Publication of a Joint Department Circular (JDC) was completed in March, but its implementation seems to have been stalled as the Philippines Supreme Court recently announced a reversal in part of its December 2015 ruling. We expect more information to be available soon and are working to provide for conditions that will prevent the frustration of shipments that may result from the uncertainty
Background documents can be found on the NAEGA website at www.Naega.org.
NAEGA will continue to keep members informed as this complicated events continues to unfold. Please contact Gary or Ryan if you have any questions.
NAEGA has made several changes to its Membership Directory over the last few months. A copy of the new directory can be found here.
Our goal is to keep this directory as up to date and accurate as possible. Please take a look and let us know of any changes you might have.
On August 2 the NAEGA/NGFA Joint Committee on Agroterrorism and Facility Security met in Omaha, Nebraska to discuss ongoing business and policy items including the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS). The Committee began its meeting with a discussion of the intentional adulteration provisions of FDA’s FSMA rule on both grain handling and processing facilities. Some Committee members are working on a Food Defense Template that could be potentially used by others in industry after its review and beta testing by the University of Montana.
The Committee was also updated by the Department of Homeland Security on the revised CFATS “Top Screen” process. Those covered by CFATS will now have to resubmit their SVA. Based on the new guidelines some facilities may either become un-tiered or move to a higher level because the dispersion model for the chemicals has been changed. Thus, a Tier 4 facility that handles chlorine i.e. dry mill may move higher up the list based on concentrations.
Lastly, the committee moved forward with support of the draft cybersecurity best practices document. A final version, incorporating member input will be prepared for approval.
A copy of the meeting’s agenda can be found here. For more information, please contact Gary or Ryan.
On July 29 the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) published its final rule revising existing regulations and adding new regulations under the U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA). The USGSA was reauthorized by Congress and signed into law on September 30, 2015. The reauthorization includes several changes to existing law that required additions or modifications to the underlying regulations. As part of this process NAEGA and NGFA submitted comments on April 25 urging GIPSA to make several changes to its proposed rule regarding changes to the USGSA. With some notable exceptions GIPSA supported these proposed changes. However, GIPSA insisted on, against the request of NAEGA and NGFA, defining the term “emergency.” In addition, GIPSA refused to require a 72-hour advance notice of discontinuation of service to affected users of official inspection and weighing services, as suggested by the NAEGA-NGFA comments.
NAEGA and NGFA have developed an overview of the proposed and final amendments to the USGSA. This overview can be found here. For more information, please contact Gary or Ryan.
North American Export Grain Association
1400 Crystal Drive, Suite 260
Arlington, VA 22202
Telephone: 202-682-4030
Fax: 202-682-4033
Email: info@naega.org
