INC Leads Group Drafting UN Food Loss Prevention Code
UNECE reviewed the group’s progress and amended Agricultural Quality Standards In 2023, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Specialized Section on Standardization of Dry and Dried Produce appointed the INC as leader of an ad-hoc drafting group responsible for developing a code of good practice on reducing food loss and food waste in […]
Marketing Orders: May 2024
USA: Amendments to the Marketing Order on Almonds Grown in California The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a final rule amending Marketing Order No. 981, which regulates the handling of almonds grown in California. This rule modifies the definition of almonds and shelled almonds, establishes a definition for “almond biomass,” […]
Food Safety Update: May 2024
China: National Food Safety Usage Standard for Food Additives On March 12, 2024, China released the National Food Safety Usage Standard for Food Additives (GB2760-2024), which will enter into force on February 8, 2025, replacing the current standard GB2760-2014. A USDA GAIN report published on May 6 provides an unofficial translation of the updated standard. […]
Latest Trade News and Agreements: May 2024
EU: Draft Delegated Regulation on Agri-food Consignments Requiring Notification of Arrival in the EU The European Commission has published a draft Delegated Regulation that sets out cases where, and conditions under which, competent authorities may request that operators notify the arrival in the EU of consignments of certain categories of agri-food goods not subject to […]
Sustainability Update: May 2024
China: Draft Corporate Sustainability Disclosure Standards On May 27, 2024, the Chinese Ministry of Finance began soliciting opinions on draft guidelines aimed at unifying corporate sustainability disclosures, with a view to establishing a nationwide standard by 2030, according to China’s State Council Information Office. The draft guidelines set general requirements for corporate sustainability information disclosures […]
Codex Alimentarius: 17th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods
The Committee adopted a definition of ready-to-eat peanuts The 17th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF17) took place in Panama City from April 15-19, 2024. Among other agenda items, the Committee discussed a definition of ready-to-eat peanuts proposed by an India-led Electronic Working Group (EWG) in which the INC participated alongside […]
Marketing Orders: April 2024
USA: Pecan Research and Promotion Program Continuance Referendum The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it will conduct a referendum from May 10 to June 10, 2024, for eligible producers and importers of pecans to decide whether to continue their research and promotion program. Current producers that domestically produced 50,000 pounds of in-shell […]
Labeling Update: April 2024
WHO-FAO: Report on Meeting to Determine Food Allergen Labeling Exemptions The Ad hoc Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Consultation on Risk Assessment of Food Allergens has published part four of its Risk Assessment of Food Allergens report, which addresses the question of whether certain foods and ingredients […]
Food Safety Update: April 2024
Codex Alimentarius: Comments on Pesticide MRLs Requested On March 24, 2024, the Codex Alimentarius Commission published a circular letter requesting comments on recommendations for maximum residue levels (MRLs) arising from the Meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) held in 2023. After evaluating 35 pesticides for toxicity, residues or both, the Meeting […]
Latest Trade News and Agreements: April 2024
EU: Commission Proposes Increased Tariffs on Russian and Belarusian Peanuts On March 22, 2024, the European Commission published a proposal that would increase the tariffs on imports into the EU of cereals, oilseeds and derived products —including groundnuts— from Russia and Belarus. Under the proposal, tariff rates on shelled and in-shell peanuts from Russia and […]