News

Vietnam Fumigation

NAEGA continues to closely monitor developments regarding recently implemented fumigation and import requirements for U.S. origin corn, wheat and DDGs into Vietnam. U.S. origin DDGs continue to be banned from import into Vietnam due to the presence of quarantine pests. In addition, Vietnam PPD continues to require methyl bromide fumigation for all U.S. imports of wheat and corn in both bulk and containers. The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently returned from February 7 bilateral meetings with Vietnam PPD to resolve this suspension and import requirements. APHIS is now pursuing a dual track approach for both DDGs and wheat and corn. For DDGs, APHIS agreed to develop and present to PPD a new technical package for fumigation of DDGs in containers by the end of February 2017. This technical package will be similar to the pilot program. Once the technical program is submitted and accepted by PPD, PPD will conduct a verification visit to the U.S. by August 2017. Once the verification visit is conducted and PPD confirms implementation of the technical program the suspension will be lifted.

For wheat and corn, methyl bromide fumigation requirements for bulk and containerized wheat and corn remain in place, but a target date for lifting the requirement has been set with PPD at May 2017. To meet this deadline, APHIS will develop measures to ensure pests do not arrive in Vietnam. PPD has indicated that it will leave specific treatment methods up to APHIS. APHIS has confirmed that the new measures to be developed will include the recirculation method of fumigation as laid out in the FGIS handbook. If the measures are accepted by PPD, then import permits beginning May 1, 2017 will not list methyl bromide fumigation as a requirement. For containers, wheat and corn fumigation measures will be dependent, and follow, fumigation measures currently being pursued for containerized DDGs.

IGTC Newsletter

The latest IGTC Newsletter is now available. Read reports of recent IGTC activity around the world, including Honduras, India, and Panama. Most recently, Cargill VP Randy Giroux represented IGTC at a Government of Honduras event on the challenges for the agri-food sector 2017-2025. In mid-February, IGTC Secretariat Katy Lee traveled to Delhi, India for the Global Grain, Food and Feed (G2F2) event. The newsletter also includes a call for new participants in the IGTC Policy Teams and Working Groups on issues including plant production methods, phytosanitary control and risk management and trade technology among others.
A copy of the IGTC Newsletter can be found here.

NAFTA and China Policy Teams

NAEGA staff are recruiting member personnel to participate in policy teams focused on the North American Free Trade Agreement and China. The Board of Directors requested the creation of these policy teams during the January 31 Board meeting in Miami, Florida. Policy teams will monitor unfolding trade policy changes related to the U.S. government transition, including:

  • NAFTA Policy Team: Work with NAEGA staff to monitor a potential renegotiation of NAFTA. Develop policy requests for a revised NAFTA agreement and communicate with U.S., Canadian and Mexican government officials the value of an efficient open North American marketplace.
  • China Policy Team: Work with NAEGA staff to monitor U.S. government trade relations with China. Topics include advising and communicating NAEGA positions on Decree 177, production technologies and U.S. trade policy developments.

Please contact Ryan if you have any questions or are interested in participating in these policy teams.

EU Country of Origin Labeling Member State Initiatives

The USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) has published a report to provide an overview of the EU’s rules on Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), including the process for introducing national COOL requirements. A provision in the EU’s Food Information to Consumers regulation allows member states to enact national-level COOL measures, which has resulted in eight member states defining their own labeling requirements. The FAS report includes pertinent information on new member state COOL initiatives, industry reactions and an analysis of the potential impact on U.S. exporters.

 

The full EU Country of Origin Labeling – Member State Initiatives report is available here.