USITC To Investigate the Probable Economic Effect of Reduced Duties on Imports of Certain Environmental Goods
U.S. International Trade Commission / http://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2015/er0821ll493.htmg
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is seeking input for an investigation into the probable economic effect of reduced duties on imports of certain environmental goods.
The investigation, APEC List of Environmental Goods: Advice on the Probable Economic Effect of Providing Duty Reductions for Imports, was requested by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in a letter received August 5, 2015.
In the request letter, the USTR stated that in 2012, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders endorsed an APEC List of Environmental Goods, which includes 54 goods on which the Leaders agreed to reduce applied duties to 5 percent or less by the end of 2015. The USTR provided an attachment to the letter outlining the specific goods for which the USITC is asked to provide information.
The USTR further noted: “Section 103(a) of the Bipartisan Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 provides that the President may enter into trade agreements regarding tariff barriers, if the President determines that existing duties of any foreign country or the United States are unduly burdening and restricting U.S. trade. Further, this section permits the President to proclaim changes to duties the President determines to be required or appropriate to carry out any such trade agreement, subject to the requirement in section 131 of the Trade Act of 1974 to obtain advice regarding the proposed modifications from the U.S. International Trade Commission.”
As requested, the USITC will advise the President as to the probable economic effect of the proposed tariff modifications for the specified products on industries producing like or directly competitive articles, and on consumers.
The USITC expects to submit its report, which will be confidential, to the USTR by November 4, 2015.
The USITC is seeking input for the investigation from all interested parties and requests that the information focus on the issues for which the USITC is requested to provide information and advice. The USITC will hold a public hearing in connection with the investigation on September 25, 2015.
Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. on September 11, 2015, with the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. For further information, call 202-205-2000.
The USITC also welcomes written submissions for the record. Written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary of the Commission at the above address and should be submitted at the earliest practical date but no later than 5:15 p.m. on October 2, 2015. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection.
Further information on the scope of the investigations and appropriate submissions is available in the USITC’s notice of investigation, dated August 21, 2015, which can be downloaded from the USITC Internet site (www.usitc.gov) or may be obtained by contacting the Office of the Secretary at the above address or at 202-205-2000.
CBP Agriculture Specialists Discover Multiple Khapra Beetles at Toronto Preclearance
U.S. Customs & Border Protection / http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/2015-08-24-000000/cbp-agriculture-specialists-discover-multiple
WASHINGTON — U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists intercepted a large quantity of live larvae, live adults, and shed casings of Khapra Beetles from a plastic bag of dried beans at the Toronto Preclearance Facility. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) at the Plant Inspection Station (PIS) in Boston positively identified the specimens as Trogoderma granarium, commonly known as Khapra Beetle. This is the first time that Khapra Beetles have been intercepted at the Port of Toronto.
The Khapra Beetle is considered one of the world’s most destructive insect pests of grains, cereals and stored foods. It remains the only insect in which CBP takes regulatory action against even while in a dead state.
“This interception further solidifies the benefits of Preclearance locations where CBP can stop threats prior to reaching the United States,” said Assistant Port Director Robert Maimbourg. “The Khapra Beetle is one of the most destructive pests and thanks to the vigilance of our CBP agriculture specialists it did not make it to the U.S.”
The agriculture specialists discovered the insects in a 4.4 pound bag of dried beans in a traveler’s checked luggage originating from Somalia with a final destination of Atlanta. CBP seized the dried beans and forwarded the specimens to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Boston PIS for identification. The seized items were turned over to the Canada Border Services Agency for destruction by incineration.
The Khapra Beetle is labeled a ‘dirty feeder’ because it damages more grain than it consumes, and because it contaminates grain with body parts and hairs. These contaminants may cause gastrointestinal irritation in adults and especially sickens infants. Khapra Beetle can also tolerate insecticides and fumigants, and can survive for long periods of time without food.
According to APHIS, previous infestations of Khapra Beetle have resulted in long term-control and eradication efforts at great cost to the American taxpayer.
California implemented extensive eradication measures following a Khapra Beetle infestation discovered there in 1953. The effort was deemed successful, but at a cost of approximately $11 million—$90 million in today’s dollars.
CBP agriculture specialists receive extensive training and experience in the biological sciences and agricultural inspection. On a typical day, they inspect almost 1 million people as well as air and sea cargo imported to the United States and intercept 4,379 prohibited meat, plant materials or animal products, including 440 insect pests.
To learn more about CBP’s agriculture protection mission, visit Protecting Agriculture on the CBP website.
CBP Preclearance operations allow for advance inspection of passengers and special coordination with law enforcement upon arrival in the United States. Through preclearance, the same immigration, customs, and agriculture inspections of international air passengers performed on arrival in the United States are instead completed before departure at foreign airports. Currently, preclearance operations exist at 15 foreign airports in six different countries, benefitting air passengers, airports, and air carriers, in the United States and abroad.
Statement on The Royal Thai Government’s Destruction of Illegal Ivory
Fish & Wildlife Service / http://www.fws.gov/home/feature/2015/Thailand-crush-statement.pdf
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) commends the Royal Thai Government for its destruction of 2.1 tons of illegal ivory in Bangkok today. This ivory crush builds upon Thailand’s recent efforts to stem the illegal trade in ivory by listing African elephants as a protected species under Thai law and strengthening regulations governing the possession and trade of ivory and ivory products.
Thailand has emerged as one of the largest ivory markets in the world. Earlier this year, Thai customs officials in a single bust seized 4 tons of ivory worth $6 million representing the largest confiscation of its kind in Thailand. Data submitted to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) indicate organized criminal syndicates are heavily involved in trafficking of ivory between Africa and Thailand.
Leaders from Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and U.S. embassy officers met with the Service’s Senior Special Agent, stationed in Bangkok, to develop best practices for their ivory crush. This professional, international teamwork exemplifies the importance of the Service’s International Attaché program and its mission to support foreign governments in their efforts to stop wildlife trafficking.
Thailand’s destruction of confiscated ivory sends a strong message to wildlife poachers, wildlife traffickers and consumers of illegal wildlife products worldwide. Like similar events held in the United States, the Philippines and China, the destruction of this ivory underscores the Royal Thai government’s commitment to putting an end to wildlife trafficking. It will add significant momentum to the global fight to combat the illegal ivory trade and save the African elephant from extinction.
This effort requires immediate and long-term commitments from all of us. We look forward to building upon our partnership with Thailand and other governments, local communities, non-governmental organizations and the private sector at home and abroad to strengthen the global commitment to end wildlife trafficking.
California Man Pleads Guilty to the Sale of Horns from a Black Rhinoceros
Department of Justice / http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/california-man-pleads-guilty-sale-horns-black-rhinoceros
Lumsden W. Quan, 47, an art dealer from San Francisco, California, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to violate the Lacey and Endangered Species Act and to a violation of the Lacey Act for knowingly selling black rhinoceros horns to an undercover agent from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). His co-defendant, Edward N. Levine, charged in the indictment remains scheduled for trial on Oct. 19, 2015, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The guilty plea was announced by Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada and Director Dan Ashe for USFWS.
Quan pleaded guilty before the Honorable Chief Judge Gloria M. Navarro in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, Nevada, to all charges in the indictment. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 3, 2015. Quan was identified as part of “Operation Crash,” a nationwide effort led by the USFWS and the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute those involved in the black market trade of rhinoceros horns and other protected species.
Quan admitted in federal court to conspiring with co-defendant Levine to sell two black rhinoceros horns to an undercover agent posing as a Colorado wildlife collector. Quan stated that he and Levine arranged to have the horns transported to Las Vegas, where on March 19, 2014, Quan sold them to the agent for $55,000. Quan faces a maximum sentence of five-years imprisonment.
The black rhinoceros is an herbivore species of prehistoric origin and one of the largest remaining mega-fauna on earth. They have no known predators other than humans. All species of rhinoceros are protected under U.S. and international law, including the Endangered Species Act. Since 1976, trade in rhinoceros horn has been regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a treaty signed by over 170 countries around the world to protect fish, wildlife and plants that are or may become imperiled due to the demands of international markets.
The investigation is continuing and is being handled by the USFWS’s Office of Law Enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada and the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section. The government is represented by Trial Attorneys Jennifer Blackwell and Ryan Connors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Newman, and paralegal Amanda Backer.
North Carolina Seafood Processor and Distributor Sentenced for Mislabeling Shrimp
Department of Justice / http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/north-carolina-seafood-processor-and-distributor-sentenced-mislabeling-shrimp
North Carolina-based seafood processor and wholesale distributor Alphin Brothers Inc., was sentenced today in federal court for falsely labeling imported shrimp, the Justice Department announced.
Pursuant to plea agreement entered on Feb. 10, 2015, Alphin Brothers Inc., pleaded guilty to one felony count of making or submitting false records in violation of the Lacey Act. Court documents state that an Alphin Brothers employee, who purchased and sold shrimp on the company’s behalf, directed Alphin Brothers employees and employees of another seafood processing facility to falsely label approximately 25,000 pounds of farm-raised imported shrimp as wild-caught product of the United States. The falsely labeled shrimp was later sold by Alphin Brothers in interstate commerce to customers in Louisiana.
Consistent with the plea agreement, the court sentenced Alphin Brothers Inc., to pay a criminal fine of $100,000 and to forfeit approximately 21,450 pounds of shrimp. The company also will serve three years of probation, including a special condition requiring the company to implement a training program to educate its employees on federal labeling requirements, as they relate to business activities at the company.
Federal regulations require seafood retailers to provide customers with notice of the country of origin and the method of production, wild-caught or farm-raised, of shrimp and other shellfish. These regulations are known by the acronym COOL, which stands for “country of origin labeling.” The COOL regulations allow country of origin and method of production information to be provided in any format, as long as it is placed in a conspicuous location such that it will likely be read and understood by a customer under normal circumstances. Many shrimp processors and wholesale distributors, including Alphin Brothers Inc., print country of origin and/or method of production information directly on packaging, such as boxes, intended for retail sale.
Under the COOL regulations, shrimp may be labeled as “product of the United States” only if they were harvested and processed in the United States or by a United States-flagged vessel and have not undergone any substantial transformation outside the United States. Packing, repacking, thawing, freezing, cleaning, peeling, deveining, grading, cooking, or soaking shrimp in sodium tripolyphosphate solution does not constitute a substantial transformation under the COOL regulations.
The Lacey Act is a federal law making it illegal to make or submit any false record, account, or label for, or any false identification of, any fish or wildlife that has been or is intended to be imported, transported, purchased or received from any foreign country, or transported in interstate or foreign commerce. The maximum penalties for a felony violation of the Lacey Act include up to five years of imprisonment and $250,000 in fines for individual defendants and up to $500,000 in fines for corporate defendants.
The case was investigated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement, with assistance from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. The case was prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
USITC: News Releases and New Documents
US International Trade Commission / http://www.usitc.gov/
Do you have questions about the foods, drugs, and other issues involving your pet?
The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) may be able to answer them. FDA regulates animal drugs, animal food (including pet food), and medical devices for animals, and conducts research that helps shape regulatory decisions, among other activities.
Below are CVM’s answers to seven questions it often receives from consumers about their pets.
Q: How do I know if a drug I am giving my pet is FDA-approved?
A: Look at the drug's label. All FDA-approved animal drugs have a New Animal Drug Application (NADA) number or, for generic animal drugs, an Abbreviated New Animal Drug Application (ANADA) number. Many drug manufacturers list the six-digit NADA or ANADA number and the statement, “Approved by FDA,” on the drug’s label, although they aren’t required to do so. If you don’t see the NADA or ANADA number on the label, most FDA-approved animal drugs are listed in Animal Drugs@FDA, a searchable online database. There is more detailed information on this subject on FDA’s website.
Q: My pet had a bad reaction to a drug. How do I report this?
A: “If you suspect your animal has had a bad reaction after taking a drug, the first thing to do is to contact your veterinarian immediately,” says FDA veterinarian Carmela Stamper.
FDA also encourages both pet owners and veterinarians to report adverse drug experiences and product failures to the agency. “Data from these reports help FDA to keep tabs on product safety and look into potential drug-related problems. Every report that comes to us is important,” Stamper notes.
There are three ways you can report bad reactions, lack of effectiveness, or other product defects (like broken tablets and leaky dispensers):
1. Call the drug company to report an adverse event for an FDA-approved drug. You can usually find the company’s phone number on the product labeling. Give the reason for your call and ask to speak to a technical services veterinarian.
2. Submit FORM FDA 1932a (download PDF). The Form FDA 1932a is a pre-addressed, prepaid postage form that can be completed and dropped in the mail.
3. Call the Center for Veterinary Medicine: 1-888-FDA-VETS. Leave your name, address, phone number, and the brand name of the drug involved. Ask to have a Form FDA 1932a sent to you or ask for the phone number of the drug company you should call to report the problem. Any report you make to FDA is confidential.
Q: Why do I need a prescription from my veterinarian to purchase pet drugs from an online pet pharmacy?
A. Under the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act, the law which provides much of FDA’s regulatory authority, an online pet pharmacy can’t sell you a veterinary prescription drug without a valid prescription or other type of order from a licensed veterinarian. Prescription drugs are prescription for a reason: They require professional veterinary expertise to diagnose the condition being treated, to monitor the response to treatment, and to monitor the patient for signs of adverse reactions. If the online pet pharmacy tells you that you don’t need a prescription to buy a veterinary prescription drug, it is breaking the law. In that case, you may want to find another online pet pharmacy to use.
Over-the-counter pet medicines do not require a prescription, but make sure to review the label or check the FDA website to ensure they are FDA-approved.
Q: Which products are considered “grooming aids,” and does FDA regulate them?
A: The animal counterpart of a cosmetic is commonly called a "grooming aid" and is not regulated by FDA. These include products solely intended for cleansing or promoting attractiveness of animals, such as a dog or cat shampoo simply used for cleansing. Depending on the product’s claimed intended use, however, the product could be considered an animal drug. For example, if a product is intended for any therapeutic (medical) purpose, such as to control fungal infection or itching caused by allergies, it would be regulated by FDA as a drug.
Q: I suspect my pet had a reaction to a food. How can I report this?
A: You can report complaints about a pet food product online or by calling your state’s FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator.
Have information ready such as:
- product name, type of package, lot number, where purchased;
- a description of the problem such as odor, color, foreign object found; and
- a description of your animal, such as weight, age, and breed.
Stamper says that pet treats are also considered pet foods and are regulated by FDA.
Q: I want to make pet treats at home. What should I know?
A: It’s okay to make pet treats at home for your own animal’s use. However, the manufacture and sale of treats—whether at a local market, a farmer’s market, a retail store, or on the internet—are subject to federal, state, and local regulation. You can learn more about requirements for selling pet treats from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
If you’re making treats for your pets, be aware that certain ingredients may be harmful, Stamper says. According to the American Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), harmful foods may include chocolate, avocado, raw bread dough, alcohol, raisins and grapes, macadamia nuts, onions and garlic.
“Most pet treats are not designed to be nutritionally complete,” Stamper says. “It’s like a person eating a cupcake.”
Q: I’m taking my pet overseas. What do I need to know?
A: Information on taking a pet overseas can be found on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website.
If you have other questions regarding your pet, you can ask CVM’s experts by e-mail or telephone: (240) 276-9300.
This article appears on FDA’s Consumer Updates page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.