President Trump Takes Action to Lower Fertilizer Costs and Support American Farmers - USDA
(Washington, D.C., June 29, 2026) – Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation temporarily suspending countervailing duties (CVDs) on certain phosphate fertilizer imports, providing immediate relief to American farmers while advancing the Administration’s broader strategy to strengthen America’s fertilizer supply chain.
The temporary suspension will increase phosphate fertilizer availability, improve competition, and help lower one of agriculture’s largest production expenses while supporting a stable and reliable fertilizer supply ahead of future planting seasons.
Current USDA analysis indicates American farmers could save approximately $1.82 billion annually through lower phosphate fertilizer costs as additional supplies enter the U.S. market. The action is expected to reduce phosphate fertilizer prices by approximately 22 percent, benefiting more than 100,000 farms across 97 million planted acres nationwide.
“As we have worked to implement America First fertilizer actions—from waiving the Jones Act to implementing more flexible Hours of Service waivers—we have focused on finding short-term solutions while delivering long-term stability for our nation’s farmers,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “Today’s announcement will bring immediate relief to producers who rely on these critical inputs with an estimated 22 percent reduction in phosphate fertilizer prices, and $1.82 billion in annual savings for producers. President Trump will always put farmers first, and he will continue to fight for those that feed, fuel, and clothe our nation.”
Today’s announcement builds on a series of actions taken by the Trump Administration to strengthen fertilizer affordability, improve supply chain resilience, and expand domestic production. The Administration has designated phosphate and potash as critical minerals, signed a USDA-Department of Justice Memorandum of Understanding to address anti-competitive practices affecting agricultural inputs, worked with federal partners to accelerate major domestic fertilizer manufacturing projects, and recently established a dedicated USDA Agricultural Economist position focused on fertilizer markets and agricultural inputs.
In addition to providing immediate relief through increased fertilizer availability, USDA continues to support long-term domestic fertilizer production by advancing major manufacturing projects across the country that will strengthen supply chains, create rural jobs, and reduce America’s reliance on foreign fertilizer sources.
“President Trump’s action today will provide immediate relief as well as a stable source of supply for American producers as they enter fall application season,” said Deputy Secretary Stephen Alexander Vaden. “The Department will continue to support initiatives to secure American farmers’ access to fertilizer, including by increasing domestic production capacity.”
Fertilizer remains one of the largest input costs facing American agriculture. Under the Biden Administration, fertilizer prices reached historic highs, placing significant financial pressure on producers. President Trump’s action provides immediate relief while complementing the Administration’s long-term efforts to rebuild domestic fertilizer manufacturing, strengthen America’s food and national security, and ensure American farmers have access to affordable, reliable fertilizer for years to come.
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Trump EPA Takes New Action to Eliminate Animal Testing - EPA
For the first time in five years, EPA expands its list of cutting-edge alternatives to animal studies and opens the door for innovators to bring the next generation of tools to the table
June 2, 2026 / Contact Information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)
WASHINGTON -- Delivering on its commitment to end animal testing, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today took two major steps toward replacing outdated, slow, and inhumane animal studies with modern science that is faster, more humane, and more relevant to human health.
For the first time in five years, EPA is updating its list of cutting-edge alternative test methods to replace the use of animal studies, also known as New Approach Methods (NAMs), for chemical assessments under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA is also introducing a streamlined process for researchers, companies, and other stakeholders to nominate NAMs for consideration in chemical assessments.
Taken together, these two actions mark major strides in meeting the Trump EPA’s goal of eliminating all mammalian animal testing by 2035 – an ambitious target set during the first Trump Administration that Administrator Lee Zeldin recommitted to meeting earlier this year. The Trump EPA has already made great strides reducing animal testing. For instance, EPA implemented the agency’s first-ever lab animal adoption program in April 2025 at one of its premiere research laboratories in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and the agency will continue working to get more animals into loving homes. Last year, EPA used high-quality alternative scientific methods to animal testing in its cancer evaluations for dibutyl phthalate and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate for the first time ever, sparing an estimated 1,600 mice and rats from undergoing lab experiments.
“When the Trump Administration makes a commitment, we deliver. With today’s announcement, we’re accelerating the shift to modern, gold standard science – without the use of animal testing – by using new, innovative methods to review chemicals,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “By broadening high-quality alternatives and inviting strong new candidates, we can deliver faster, more protective decisions while reducing animal testing.”
Under President Trump and Administrator Zeldin's leadership, EPA is prioritizing developing and implementing high-quality alternatives to reduce testing on vertebrate mammals, like rabbits, mice, rats, and dogs, to better align with regulatory requirements, advancing the high bar of gold standard science, and efforts to Make America Healthy Again.
The Biden Administration canceled the agency's animal testing phase-out deadlines, delaying scientific progress on developing alternatives that would save more animals from experimentation. Today's actions get that progress back on track.
TSCA directs EPA to use NAMs whenever scientifically appropriate when evaluating chemicals, and to reduce, refine, or replace vertebrate mammal testing. Modern NAMs, including human cell models and advanced computer-based methods, help EPA identify hazards and exposures faster and often with results that are more relevant to people, not laboratory animals. These tools can cut costs and time, reduce animal use, and provide clearer insight into how a chemical works in the body. The result is quicker, more transparent safety decisions that better protect families, workers, and communities while giving businesses clear, up to date expectations.
EPA is adding 13 new NAMs from external authoritative bodies to the agency’s approved list that industry, researchers, and other stakeholders use to comply with TSCA testing requirements. New additions to the list include:
• a new method to evaluate eye hazards with reconstructed human cells;
• a method to evaluate phototoxicity using a 3D human cell-based tissue model; and
• combinations of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)-validated in chemico and in vitro test data to identify potential dermal sensitization hazard, dermal sensitization potency, and a quantitative point-of-departure.
EPA last updated its NAMs list in 2021. By updating the list and committing to do so regularly, EPA provides certainty for industry, which anticipates regular updates on the tools the agency recognizes, and increases transparency, helping stakeholders keep track of newly identified methods.
EPA is also launching a streamlined process for researchers, companies, NGOs, and other stakeholders to nominate NAMs for use in chemical assessments. Stakeholders bring cutting-edge science, real-world data, and fit-for-purpose methods tailored to specific chemicals and use patterns, helping close data gaps and improve accuracy. Accepted methods will be added to EPA's NAMs list.
This open, gold-standard, science-driven pathway will grow the toolbox of reliable alternatives, improve transparency, reduce animal testing, and help deliver clearer, faster, and more predictable chemical safety decisions that support innovation and U.S. competitiveness.
EPA will review any first-round submissions that are sent to nam@epa.gov and then pursue any promising submissions further by providing the submitter with an in-depth form to complete about the NAM, which will then be evaluated by EPA scientists.
Why it matters
Ending animal testing. NAMs advance humane science by reducing and replacing animal use — without sacrificing quality. In many cases, they improve it.
Faster, better protection. NAMs deliver results more quickly and often with greater human relevance, helping EPA catch real risks sooner and protect workers, communities, and consumers.
Clarity that drives innovation. A robust toolbox of validated methods gives industry regulatory certainty, rewards safer product design, and strengthens American scientific leadership.
How to nominate a New Approach Method
EPA wants to hear from the scientists, companies, and innovators building the future of chemical safety. The process is straightforward:
Step 1 — Tell us about it. Email a short description of your method and its validation status to nam@epa.gov
Step 2 — Make the case. If EPA pursues your submission, you'll be asked to complete an in-depth form with supporting scientific information, which EPA scientists will then evaluate.
EPA's subject-matter experts will assess each method for scientific soundness — relevance, reliability, transparency, reproducibility, and fitness-for-purpose — and how well it fits specific pesticide and chemical risk decisions and endpoints.
To view the updated NAMs list, learn more about the nomination process, or explore EPA's broader work to reduce vertebrate animal testing, visit EPA’s List of Alternative Test Methods and Strategies web page.
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Cincinnati CBP’s Operation ‘Protect the Pitch’ Intercepts Counterfeit FIFA World Cup 2026™ Merchandise - USCBP
CINCINNATI — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Cincinnati conducted an operation “Protect the Pitch,” focusing on Intellectual Property Rights infringing shipments of wearing apparel, footwear, and other items that depict protected trademarks of national soccer federation and apparel manufacturers.
From June 1-5, officers seized 68 shipments of counterfeit FIFA World Cup 2026™ jerseys, shirts, shorts, footwear, hats, jewelry, and other merchandise. In total, officers intercepted 2,589 items that–if genuine–would have had a combined manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $266,566. These actions protect American consumers and businesses from intellectual property rights violations.
“It’s a shame criminals are preying on soccer fans and using the World Cup as a means to steal money from consumers,” said Cincinnati Port Director Eric Zizelman. “It happens around all the major sporting events, whether it be the Super Bowl, World Series, or in this case the World Cup. Counterfeiters use these events to flood the market with knockoffs and cheap imitations just to make a buck while businesses and the American consumer pay the price.”
CBP organized Operation Protect the Pitch using intelligence gathering and analysis of past trends before major events.
Previous IPR operations related to the sports industries have produced hundreds of seizures of jerseys, shirts, hats, shorts, pants, footwear, and other counterfeit items. During this operation Cincinnati CBP focused on shipments headed to the areas of Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco/Bay Area, and Seattle, as these are the U.S. locations hosting matches during FIFA World Cup 2026™. Similar operations across the country have resulted in the seizure of thousands of items infringing on intellectual property rights.
The seized shipments included 1,563 FIFA World Cup 2026™ jerseys, 306 pairs of shorts, 200 pairs of footwear, 150 hats, 80 shirts, and 290 other FIFA World Cup 2026™ related items. Most shipments originated from Mexico and Colombia and were destined for locations across the United States.
In the first week of match play, CBP has made over 1,400 seizures relating to the FIFA World Cup, totaling over $23 million in MSRP had the goods been genuine. CBP's seizure of fake goods is more than protecting intellectual property rights. It's protecting economic security, preventing proceeds from reaching the hands of criminal organizations, and stopping an illegal enterprise from profiting off forced labor.
CBP encourages consumers to shop from reputable online sources. E-commerce sales have contributed to large volumes of low-value, small packages being imported into the United States. Over 90% of all counterfeit seizures occur in the international mail and express environments, which are channels for small, e-commerce packages destined for the U.S. Many of these shipments contain counterfeit goods that pose the same health, safety, and economic security risks as large, containerized shipments.
To learn more about what CBP is doing every day to protect Americans from counterfeit goods, and more about the Truth Behind Counterfeits public awareness campaign, please visit the The Truth Behind Counterfeits webpage.
CBP protects the intellectual property rights of American businesses through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights enforcement program, safeguarding them from unfair competition and malicious intent while upholding American innovation and ingenuity. Suspected violations can be reported to CBP via the e-Allegations Program webpage.
Intellectual property rights violations can be reported to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center or by telephone at 1-866-IPR-2060.
Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Florida stop illegal activity and facilitate lawful commerce into and out of the United States.
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Federal Register Notices:
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Tin Mill Products From the People's Republic of China: Postponement of Preliminary Determination in the Countervailing Duty Investigation
• Commodity Matchbooks From India: Continuation of Antidumping Duty Order and Countervailing Duty Order
• Raw Honey From Brazil: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2023-2024; Correction
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Choline Salts From China; Institution of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations and Scheduling of Preliminary Phase Investigations
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Twist Ties From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of the Expedited First Sunset Review of the Antidumping Duty Order
• Polyvinyl Alcohol From the People's Republic of China and Japan: Final Results of the Expedited Fourth Sunset Reviews of the Antidumping Duty Orders
• Wood Mouldings and Millwork Products From the People's Republic of China: Continuation of Antidumping Duty Order and Countervailing Duty Order
• Silicon Metal From Australia: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination
• Phosphate Fertilizers From the Russian Federation: Final Results of the Expedited First Sunset Review of the Countervailing Duty Order
• Chlorinated Isocyanurates From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2023-2024; Correction
• Silicon Metal From Norway: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; Advance Notification of Sunset Review
• Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar From the Republic of T[uuml]rkiye: Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2023•
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In the News:
• Experts say FDA’s plan to reduce animal testing is already seeing success at 1 year, but challenges remain - [RAPS]
• Trump refuses to renew US-Canada-Mexico trade pact he once championed [The Guardian}
• Russia, one of the world's biggest oil exporters, moves to import fuel as drone strikes squeeze supply ]CBS[
• New E-commerce duty for small packages set to increase fairness for EU businesses and safety for consumers ]European Commission[
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FDA Proposes Rule That Would Help Hold Foreign Tobacco Product Manufacturers Accountable, Protect Public Health - FDA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a proposed rule that, if finalized, would help protect the public health of Americans, including youth, by strengthening the agency’s ability to efficiently identify illegal foreign tobacco products — including youth-appealing e-cigarettes — and conduct on-site inspections abroad.
Domestic tobacco product manufacturers are currently required under federal law to register their establishments and list their products with the FDA. In contrast, foreign tobacco product manufacturers are not subject to these requirements unless and until the FDA mandates their registration and product listing through regulation. This proposed regulation would implement this requirement, closing this regulatory gap. With a more complete picture of the products manufactured for sale to American consumers and where they come from, the FDA can better protect public health and more efficiently identify and take action on unauthorized tobacco products such as e-cigarettes that are imported and illegally sold in the U.S.
Under the proposed rule, titled “Establishment Registration and Product Listing for Tobacco Products,” the FDA would prescribe the format, content, and procedures for establishment registration and tobacco product listing. This would include both foreign and domestic establishments that manufacture, prepare, compound, or process tobacco products.
“All companies selling tobacco products in the United States should play by the same rules,” said Bret Koplow, Ph.D., J.D., Acting Director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “The FDA is working hard to close the gap between domestic and foreign companies, level the playing field for American businesses, and ensure that all manufacturers are held to the same standards.”
The FDA has existing authority to enforce against illegal tobacco products and has taken action on products manufactured abroad, including recent record-breaking seizures of unauthorized e-cigarettes. If finalized, this proposed rule would significantly expand the agency’s knowledge of tobacco products manufactured abroad for import into the U.S. and allow the agency to be more proactive.
The proactive establishment registration, systematic inspections, and product surveillance included in this proposed regulation would give the FDA significantly more tools to identify and act against illegal foreign tobacco products. For unauthorized e-cigarettes, many of which are manufactured outside the U.S., this is a critical step forward for protecting public health.
“If finalized, this proposed rule would strengthen the FDA’s ability to enforce against illegal foreign tobacco products that may threaten the health and safety of Americans, including youth,” Dr. Koplow added. “By inspecting foreign manufacturing facilities, we can verify compliance at the source and stop illegal products before they reach American consumers.”
The rule, if finalized, would also require all manufacturers to maintain product labeling, advertising, and consumer information records for at least four years after their use. The FDA could then more easily verify compliance with labeling and advertising requirements and ensure that products are not marketed in ways that, for example, appeal to youth or make unauthorized health claims.
Additionally, this rule would require all manufacturers to provide information to uniquely identify each tobacco product, including products’ FDA-assigned Submission Tracking Number, nicotine concentration and source, characterizing flavors, package sizes and types, and product dimensions. For e-cigarettes, manufacturers would also need to provide specifications such as e-liquid volume, battery capacity, and wattage.
To streamline and increase efficiency, in most cases manufacturers would be required to submit information electronically through the FDA’s online system, enabling them to register more quickly. They would also be required to review and update their establishment registrations annually and their product listings twice a year to ensure the agency has current information.
The proposed rule is available for public comment. Submit your comments by Sept. 14, 2026, at Regulations.gov. The agency will review all comments as part of the rulemaking process.
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A Shipment Worth $54 Million of Counterfeit Watches Seized by CBP Officers in Louisville - USCBP
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Louisville intercepted a shipment on June 18 containing 375 counterfeit watches. Had these watches been genuine, the shipment would have had a combined Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of over $54 million.
The shipment from Hong Kong was headed for a residence in New York when officers pulled the parcel for inspection. The examination revealed 375 Audemars Piguet watches. The items were deemed to be inauthentic by CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise, the agency’s trade experts, and were seized for bearing counterfeit version of registered and recorded trademarks.
“Intellectual property theft threatens America’s economic vitality and funds criminal activities and organized crime,” said Louisville’s Port Director, Philip Onken. “Our officers protect private industry and consumers by removing these kinds of shipments from our commerce.”
Illegitimate sales are some of the most profitable transnational crimes. Counterfeiters sell inauthentic versions of popular products in response to trends, often through online sources, which adversely impacts legitimate U.S. businesses. These items, including fake medications, perfumes, and cosmetics, children’s toys and costumes, fashion, jewelry, and luxury products, and unsafe electronics and automative parts, can pose serious health and safety risks to American consumers as they are often made with substandard or harmful materials.
CBP reminds consumers to shop from reputable online sources. E-Commerce sales have contributed to large volumes of low-value, small packages being imported into the U.S. Over 90% of all counterfeit seizures occur in the international mail and express environments, which are channels through which small, e-commerce packages destined for the U.S. travel. Many of these shipments contain counterfeit goods that pose the same health, safety, and economic security risks as large, containerized shipments.
To learn more about what CBP is doing every day to protect Americans from counterfeit goods visit the Truth Behind Counterfeits public awareness campaign webpage.
CBP protects the intellectual property rights of American businesses through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights enforcement program, safeguarding them from unfair competition and use for malicious intent while upholding American innovation and ingenuity. Suspected violations can be reported to CBP& by visiting the Trade Violations Reporting site.
Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Louisville stop illegal activity and facilitate lawful commerce into and out of the United States.
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