The Food and Drug Administration, in collaboration with the University of Arkansas, is announcing a public workshop entitled "Food Labeling Workshop," which is intended to provide information about FDA food labeling regulations and other related subjects to the regulated industry, particularly small businesses and startups. The workshop will be held on August 12-13, 2008 in Fayetteville, AR. (FR Pub 06/03/08, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-12301.pdf)
Deutsche Post World Net, a leading transport and logistics company, announced a plan to restructure its DHL U.S. Express business by working with United Parcel Service for airlift capacity and reducing costs in its ground infrastructure. (DHS press release, dated 05/28/08, available at http://www.dhl.com/publish/g0/en/press/release/2008/280508.high.html.)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a press release announcing that the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) has released "Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3 (SAP 4.3): The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States." The CCSP integrates the federal research efforts of 13 agencies on climate and global change. (Press Release No. 0136.08, dated 05/27/08, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2008/05/0136.xml.)
On May 19, 2008, the Federal Maritime Commission held an industry briefing with the Pacific Coast Council of Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association, which covered a number of current issues and concerns, including equipment shortages in the export trades and marine terminal issues. (FMC dated 05/21/08, available at http://www.fmc.gov/speeches/newsrelease.asp?SPEECH_ID=245 )
On May 22, 2008, the Senate overrode the President's veto of H.R. 2419, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill), enacting 14 of 15 Farm Bill titles into law (one was inadvertently omitted from the enrolled bill). On May 22, 2008, the House passed the complete farm bill (all 15 titles) under a new bill number (H.R. 6124). (S. 2419 information available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.02419.)
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a final rule, effective May 21, 2008, which adds two requirements designed to enhance the collection of statistics related to importations and exportations of rough diamonds subject to the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS).1
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has published its third Biennial Report of Licensing Activities pursuant to the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA).
At the April 2008 National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America's Annual Conference, U.S. government officials discussed the Automated Export System (AES) and other export related issues.
Senate Finance Chairman Baucus recently criticized Korea's decision to again delay lifting Korea's ban on U.S. beef products. According to press reports, Korea will delay implementation of a new protocol struck by the U.S. and Korean governments last month, which would have resumed U.S. beef exports to Korea and ended Korea's 5-year ban on U.S. beef products. (Finance Committee press release, dated 05/14/08, available at http://finance.senate.gov/press/Bpress/2008press/prb051408a.pdf)
At the April 2008 National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America's Annual Conference, an Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) official discussed a variety of export-related issues. Highlights of her remarks include the following points: