A comprehensive summary of today’s judicial, legislative, and regulatory developments in agriculture and food. Email important additions HERE.
REGULATORY: Includes AMS, FWS, FDA, NOAA
AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE
Notice announcing the Department’s determination, based on a review by the Agricultural Marketing Service, that it is not necessary to conduct a referendum among producers and importers on continuation of the 1990 amendments to the Cotton Research and Promotion Act. Info here.
Notice that the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service evaluates the conformance of mycotoxin test kits to AMS-established design specifications and performance criteria. Only test kits that conform to all of the AMS requirements are approved for the official testing of grains and related commodities. AMS proposes to make several changes to the existing test kit criteria to improve testing services and better facilitate domestic and international trade. AMS is seeking public comment on the proposed changes to the criteria. Info here.
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Final rule amending portions of the regulations that implement section 4 of the Endangered Species Act. The revisions set forth a process for excluding areas of critical habitat under section 4(b)(2) of the Act, which mandates the consideration of the impacts of designating critical habitat and permits exclusions of particular areas following a discretionary exclusion analysis. Info here.
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Proposed rule extending the comment period for the proposed rule and reopening the comment period for the information collection related to the proposed rule entitled “Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods” that appeared in the Federal Register of September 23, 2020. Info here.
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
Temporary rule NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. Info here.
LEGISLATIVE: Includes United States
UNITED STATES
US S 4054 reauthorizes through FY2025 the United States Grain Standards Act, which authorizes the Department of Agriculture to establish official marketing standards for grains, and to provide procedures for grain inspection and weighing. Info here.