USITC News Releases and Documents
United States International Trade Commission / http://www.usitc.gov/
'Climate Hubs' will provide regional networks on climate science, forecasting impacts as part of President's Climate Action Plan
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2014—Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the creation of the first ever Regional Hubs for Risk Adaptation and Mitigation to Climate Change at seven locations around the country. "Climate Hubs" will address increasing risks such as fires, invasive pests, devastating floods, and crippling droughts on a regional basis, aiming to translate science and research into information to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners on ways to adapt and adjust their resource management. In his State of the Union Address, President Obama pledged that his Administration will continue to do everything in its power to act on climate change. Today's announcement is part of the President's Climate Action Plan to responsibly cut carbon pollution, slow the effects of climate change and put America on track to a cleaner environment.
"For generations, America's farmers, ranchers and forest landowners have innovated and adapted to challenges. Today, they face a new and more complex threat in the form of a changing and shifting climate, which impacts both our nation's forests and our farmers' bottom lines," said Vilsack. "USDA's Climate Hubs are part of our broad commitment to developing the next generation of climate solutions, so that our agricultural leaders have the modern technologies and tools they need to adapt and succeed in the face of a changing climate."
The Secretary first announced his intention to create the Hubs last summer. The Hubs will provide outreach and information to producers on ways to mitigate risks; public education about the risks climate change poses to agriculture, ranchlands and forests; regional climate risk and vulnerability assessments; and centers of climate forecast data and information. They will also link a broad network of partners participating in climate risk adaptation and mitigation, including universities; non-governmental organizations; federal agencies such as the Department of Interior and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Native Nations and organizations; state departments of environment and agriculture; research centers; farm groups and more.
Across the country, farmers, ranchers and forest landowners are seeing an increase in risks to their operations due to fires, increases in invasive pests, droughts, and floods. For example, in the Midwest, growing seasons have lengthened by almost two weeks since 1950. The fire season is now 60 days longer than it was 30 years ago, and forests will become increasingly threatened by insect outbreaks, fire, drought and storms over the next 50 years. These events threaten our food supply and are costly for producers and rural economies. Drought alone was estimated to cost the U.S. $50 billion from 2011 to 2013. Such risks have implications not only for agricultural producers, but for all Americans.
The Hubs were chosen through a competitive process among USDA facilities. In addition to the seven Hubs, USDA is designating three Subsidiary Hubs ("Sub Hubs") that will function within the Southeast, Midwest, and Southwest. The Sub Hubs will support the Hub within their region and focus on a narrow and unique set of issues relative to what will be going on in the rest of the Hub. The Southwest Sub Hub, located in Davis, California, will focus on specialty crops and Southwest forests, the Southeast Sub Hub will address issues important to the Caribbean, and the Midwest Sub Hub will address climate change and Lake State forests.
The following locations have been selected to serve as their region's center of climate change information and outreach to mitigate risks to the agricultural sector:
- Midwest: National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment, Agricultural Research Service, Ames, Iowa
- Midwest Sub-Hub in Houghton, Mich.
- Northeast: Northern Research Station, Forest Service, Durham, N.H.
- Southeast: Southern Research Station, Forest Service, Raleigh N.C.
- Southeast Sub-Hub in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
- Northern Plains: National Resources Center, Agricultural Research Service, Fort Collins, Colo.
- Southern Plains: Grazinglands Research Lab, Agricultural Research Service, El Reno, Okla.
- Pacific Northwest: Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forest Service, Corvallis, Ore.
- Southwest: Rangeland Management Unit/Jornada Experimental Range, Agricultural Research Service, Las Cruces, N.M.
- Southwest Sub-hub in Davis, Calif.
"This is the next step in USDA's decades of work alongside farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to keep up production in the face of challenges," Vilsack said. "If we are to be effective in managing the risks from a shifting climate, we'll need to ensure that our managers in the field and our stakeholders have the information they need to succeed. That's why we're bringing all of that information together on a regionally-appropriate basis."
The Climate Hubs will build on the capacity within USDA to deliver science-based knowledge and practical information to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to support decision-making related to climate change across the country.
CBP Discovers Drug Load in Cargo Trailer
U.S. Customs & Border Protection / http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/local/02032014_3.xml
El Paso, Texas -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the El Paso port of entry seized 329 pounds of marijuana in a single seizure Friday night. The seizure was the largest of seven made by area CBP officers this weekend. Those seven busts netted 1,063 pounds of marijuana.
“This was a well concealed drug load however the multiple layers of enforcement CBP uses at area ports stopped this load of contraband before it made it into our community,” said Hector Mancha, CBP El Paso Port Director.
The seizure was made just after 5 p.m. Friday at the Bridge of the Americas commercial cargo facility. CBP officers and CBP canine teams were performing a sweep of cargo trucks waiting to enter the commercial inspection area when a CBP drug sniffing dog alerted to a tractor-trailer.
CBP officers directed the 1998 Freightliner with a flatbed trailer to the cargo x-ray system. CBP officers scanned the rig and noted an anomaly in the appearance of the trailer consistent with hidden contraband. CBP officers drilled into the suspect area and removed a green substance that tested positive for marijuana. CBP officers continued their exam and located a hidden compartment in the fifth-wheel area of the empty trailer.
CBP officers removed 206 bundles of marijuana weighing 329 pounds from the compartment. The drugs have an estimated street value of $263,200. The drugs and conveyance were seized. No arrest was made in this case and investigation continues.
While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.
Testifying Before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, FTC Reiterates its Support for Data Security Legislation
Federal Trade Commission / http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/02/testifying-house-energy-commerce-committee-subcommittee-commerce
The Federal Trade Commission testified before Congress for the third time in as many days today, emphasizing the agency’s ongoing efforts to promote data security, and reiterating its unanimous support for enactment of a strong federal data security and breach notification law.
Testifying on behalf of the Commission before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez outlined the agency’s efforts to promote data security through civil law enforcement, education, and policy initiatives. The testimony notes that businesses are collecting more personal information about consumers than ever before, and that rising reports of data breaches show that these systems are susceptible to being compromised.
“Never has the need for legislation been greater. With reports of data breaches on the rise, and with a significant number of Americans suffering from identity theft, Congress needs to act,” the testimony states.
The testimony points out that, according to estimates by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 16.6 million persons – or 7 percent of all U.S. residents ages 16 and older – were victims of identity theft in 2012.
The testimony explains that, to promote data security, the FTC enforces several statutes and rules that impose obligations upon businesses that collect and maintain consumer data. These include the proscription against unfair or deceptive acts or practices in Section 5 of the FTC Act; the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act; the Fair Credit Reporting Act; and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
The testimony stresses the Commission’s bipartisan support for data security legislation that would enhance existing laws and strengthen the agency’s existing authority. The Commission supports legislation, for example, that would give the FTC the ability to seek civil penalties to help ensure FTC enforcement actions have an appropriate deterrent effect. Under current laws, the FTC only has the authority to seek civil penalties for data security violations involving companies that fail to protect children’s information provided online in violation of the COPPA Rule or credit report information in violation of the FCRA. The Commission also recommends data security legislation that would provide the agency with jurisdiction over non-profits, which have been the source of a substantial number of breaches.
The Commission also recommends that Congress enact a federal law that would require companies, in appropriate circumstances, to notify consumers when there is a security breach, the testimony states. This would help consumers mitigate likely harm from the misuse of their data. Although most states have breach notification laws, a strong and consistent, national requirement would ensure that all consumers are protected.
In addition, the Commission promotes better data security practices through consumer education and business guidance, the testimony notes. On the consumer education front, the Commission recently posted information for consumers who may have been affected by the recent Target and other breaches, providing steps they should take to protect themselves. It also widely disseminates a business guide on data security, along with an online tutorial, that are designed to provide diverse businesses – and especially small businesses – with practical, concrete advice as they develop data security programs and plans for their companies.
The Commission vote approving the testimony and its inclusion in the formal record was 4-0.
Dulles CBP Seizes Undeclared Food in 7 of 8 Suitcases
U.S. Customs & Border Protection / http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/local/01312014_4.xml
Sterling, Va. – Generally, when international travelers try to smuggle prohibited food products through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the food products are in small amounts or are cleverly concealed inside something else.
Rarely do CBP agriculture specialists encounter such a brazen attempt like they did Tuesday when a West Chester, Pa., couple attempted to smuggle about 30 pounds of undeclared and prohibited food products from India through Washington Dulles International Airport inside seven of their eight suitcases. Confounding CBP even more is that the man and woman were trusted travelers in the agency’s Global Entry expedited arrivals program.
CBP agriculture specialists assessed a $500 civil penalty for repeatedly failing to declare the prohibited food products.
CBP officers also revoked the couple’s Global Entry memberships.
“First and foremost, this privilege is predicated upon the trust that these select travelers will fully comply with all applicable U.S. laws and regulations, including laws that protect our nation’s agricultural economy,” said Christopher Hess, CBP Port Director for the Port of Washington Dulles. “We have zero tolerance for travelers who deliberately violate that trust and unnecessarily place our nation’s agriculture and economy at risk.”
The couple returned from India through Dubai and processed their international arrivals separately at the Global Entry self-help kiosks. Neither traveler declared possessing any food products. CBP officers referred them to a secondary compliance inspection.
During that secondary inspection, the couple again declared not possessing food products in any of their eight pieces of baggage. After further questioning, they then declared possessing only sweets and spices. When a CBP agriculture specialist passed each bag through an x-ray, anomalies were detected in seven bags. Further examination discovered about 25 pounds of chick peas and five pounds of popcorn with green curry leaves.
Chickpeas from India are prohibited due to the possible introduction of harmful plant diseases and insect pests, such as the highly destructive Khapra beetle.
“Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists take their job of protecting our nation’s agricultural industries very seriously, and are especially vigilant against potentially harmful insect pests or plant diseases,” Hess said.
CBP agriculture specialists work closely with USDA’s, APHIS, PPQ to protect our nation’s agriculture resources against the introduction of foreign plants, plant pests, and animal diseases.
CBP agriculture specialists have extensive training and experience in the biological sciences and agricultural inspection.
France Destroys 3 Tons of Illegal Ivory
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service / http://www.fws.gov/
The Service applauds France for destroying today 3-tons of illegal ivory seized by French customs and law enforcement officials between 1987 and 2007. France now joins the United States, Kenya, the Philippines, Gabon and the People's Republic of China in this public commitment to ending the illegal trade in ivory that is threatening to wipe out African elephant populations. Global momentum is building within the international community to fight global wildlife trafficking and save the world’s most threatened species.