News

Food and Ag Dialogue Letter to Lighthizer

On February 8 the Asia-Pacific Market Working Group of the U.S. Food and Agriculture Dialogue for Trade sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer supporting the administrations recent comments about reengaging with Trans-Pacific Partnership members in a manner that promotes trade in the Asia-Pacific region. According to the letter the working group “welcomes President Trump’s recent address at the World Economic Forum, in which he stated that the “United States is prepared to negotiate mutually beneficial, bilateral trade agreements with all countries…includ[ing] the countries within TPP [Trans Pacific Partnership]” and that the United States “would consider negotiating with the rest [of the TPP countries] either individually or perhaps as a group if it is in the interests of all.”

You can read the letter here.

Americans for Farmers and Families

Americans for Farmers and Families, a coalition of growers, producers, suppliers, transporters, retailers and consumers has launched a new effort dedicated to preserving NAFTA and working with President Trump to negotiate a modernized agreement. As part of this effort AFF has provided a public toolkit that provides resources to promote the benefits of NAFTA and trade to U.S. agriculture. The organization’s toolkit includes a sample letter to Congress, sample letter to the editor, and sample social media amplification document.

Other resources can be found on AFF’s website, here.

Asian Gypsy Moth

The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Canadian Food Inspection Service (CFIA) have issued a memorandum of understanding on actions taken for arriving vessels from Far East Russia, Japan, Korea and Northern China regarding the Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM). AGM is a serious pest that can be carried on ships and cargo and, if introduced to North America, AGM would have significant negative impacts on our forestry and agriculture, the natural environment, the commerce that relies on those plant resources, and market access. According to the MOU, Vessels must arrive in North American ports free of AGM and with required pre-departure certification. Additionally, vessels must provide two year port of call data, at least 96 hours prior to arrival in a North American port, to the Canadian or U.S. agent.

The full MOU can be read here.

IGTC Strategy Session and IGC Meeting – June 17-20 – London, UK

On June 18-20 a robust representation from IGTC Members and Corporate Stakeholders is expected in London to participate in a IGTC Strategy Session and attend a meeting of the International Grains Council. A preliminary schedule can be found here.

Please contact the IGTC secretariat if you would like more information and are interested in participating.

IPPC Commission on Phytosanitary Measures – April 16-20 – Rome, Italy

On April 16-20 Katy Lee, Secretariat of the International Grain Trade Coalition, will travel to Rome, Italy to participate in the IPPC Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM). During this meeting the IGTC will act as an observer at the annual CPM event, considered the “parliament” of the 183 contracting governments to the IPPC. The agenda of the CPM includes issues of highest importance to the IGTC, including:

  • The role of the grain trade in global food security and economic development;
  • The status of the draft International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) for grain;
  • Discussions among IPPC contracting parties on “Conceptual challenges in commodity standard development”;
  • The IPPC Ephyto Solution and tprogress of the worldwide pilot project on IPPC ePhytos;

During the meeting the IGTC will also hold individual meetings with the leaders of the CPM, countries sitting on the Standards Committee and IPPC staff. A notice to post for this travel is available here.

IGC MCC – March 5-8 – London, UK

On March 5-8 Gary will join Katy Lee, Secretariat of the International Grain Trade Coalition, on a mission to London, UK to participate in the International Grains Council’s Market Conditions Committee meeting. While in London, Gary and Katy will also meet with IGTC corporate stakeholders, discuss IGTC 2018 planning, recruitment and governance, and meet with the International Maritime Organization.

CHS Top Customer Meeting – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – February 26-28

On Wednesday, February 28 Gary will travel to Ft. Lauderdale, FL to address CHS’s Top Customer Meeting. During the meeting Gary will participate in a General Session discussion on The View from Washington, D.C.: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities. A copy of the agenda can be found here.

MRL Workshop – February 26-27 – Geneva, Switzerland

On February 24-28 Matt Lantz, NAEGA contractor for Bryant Christie, Inc., will travel to Geneva, Switzerland to participate in an MRL Workshop on February 26-27. The workshop will include participation from importing and exporting governments, inter-governmental organizations, and industry. Mr. Lantz will represent IGTC policy files on MRLs at all meeting and events.

U.S. APHIS Nuseed Comment

On February 9 NAEGA joined the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and the National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) in a letter to the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service regarding the responsible commercialization of Nuseed event B0050-027. NAEGA, NGFA and NOPA “do not support commercialization prior to export market approvals and consider a “pre-commercial release” no different than a product commercialization, since the potential risks and impacts are the same.” The letter urges “agricultural biotechnology developers to fully bear the risks and liabilities associated with any commercialization of their products should market disruptions occur prior to obtaining approvals in U.S. export markets

You can read the letter here here and the original notice published in the Federal Register here.

IGTC Newsletter

The latest IGTC Newsletter is now available! This week’s newsletter includes a preliminary schedule for the IGTC’s 2018 General Assembly at the end of November in Beijing, China, online presentations from the 3rd ePhyto Symposium, and a final call to fill out IGTC’s questionnaire on MRLs.

For more details, read the IGTC Newsletter hereor visit the IGTC website at www.igtcglobal.org.