News

NAEGA/NGFA Statement on USDA Reorganization

On September 7, 2017 NAEGA, along with the National Grain and Feed Association, issued a statement commending the Secretary of Agriculture for his decision to relocate the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) with the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Last week, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced this decision as part of a second tranche of USDA reorganization designed to strengthen and enhance the department’s customer-service focus and maximize efficiency.  In doing so, Perdue separated FGIS from the Packers and Stockyards Administration within the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) – two agencies with significantly different missions, functions and roles. This reorganization will provide the impetus for FGIS to improve its cross-agency interaction with other government departments that share roles in facilitating the marketing of U.S. agricultural products, such as USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is responsible for issuing phytosanitary certificates for U.S. grain export shipments.

A copy of the statement can be found here.

IGC MCC Presentation

On Friday, September 8 Katy Lee, Secretariat of the International Grain Trade Coalition (IGTC) presented before the International Grain’s Council’s (IGC) Market Conditions Committee (MCC) on Current Developments in Policy and Practice as part of the IGTC’s continued and regular engagement with the IGC. This is the third time this year that the IGTC has had the opportunity to represent the grain trade and present before the IGC. Engagement with the IGC remains a critical component of the IGTC Business Plan.

 

A copy of Katy’s presentation can be found here.

Vietnam Import Permits

Vietnam’s Plant Protection Department (PPD) has announced it will begin issuing import permits for U.S. origin DDGs and grains immediately. Import permits may be valid for up to one year (depending on the product).  Importers should apply to PPD for the import permit first, and then translate it and send it to the U.S. exporter. The U.S. exporter will then present the import permit to APHIS to request the phytosanitary certificate. PPD will not accept any shipment with a phytosanitary certificate issued prior to the date on the import permit.

 

More information can be found in the attached USDA GAIN report.

USCG Suspicious Activities Reporting

At the request of the U.S. Coast Guard, NAEGA members are invited to review the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative’s Suspicious Activity Reporting Indicators and Behaviors: Tools for Analysts and Investigators worksheet. The worksheet includes helpful information on identifying and reporting suspicious activity. The worksheet can be found here.