Latest Trade News and Agreements: February 2024

EU: Increased Controls on Certain Organic Products The European Commission, together with the Group of Experts on Organic Production, has assessed the information in the Organic Farming Information System (OFIS) and concluded that increased control and reporting measures are necessary for certain imported products. The additional control measures will be applied to the following organic […]

Sustainability Update: February 2024

Cambodia-Africa: Cashew Nuts Association of Cambodia (CAC) Signs MoU with African Cashew Alliance (ACA) On February 3, 2024, the Cashew Nuts Association of Cambodia (CAC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the African Cashew Alliance (ACA), as reported by the Phnom Penh Post. The objective of the MoU is to promote cooperation between the […]

10-Year Analysis of RASFF Notifications for Mycotoxins in Nuts

Notifications have been trending downward in recent years In a study published in Food Research International, researchers analyzed notifications from the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) on nuts and nut products contaminated with mycotoxins over a 10-year period. Mycotoxins —secondary metabolites of various fungi— are observed in a broad range of […]

Water Level at Panama Canal Lake Reaches Historic Low for Start of Dry Season

Daily traffic at the canal is down by nearly 40% compared to last year Gatún Lake, the reservoir that enables the operation of the Panama Canal, is at its lowest water level ever for the start of a dry season, as reported by the New York Times. The extreme drought affecting the region appears likely […]

Agri-Food Associations Navigate the “Jungle” of EU Sustainability Reporting Regulations

Industry webinar explores key features of the CSRD and ESRS On January 24, 2024, the INC attended a webinar on EU corporate sustainability reporting regulations organized by the Agri-Food Chain Sustainability Roundtable, a group of European agri-food industry associations established in March 2022 to exchange information on sustainability-related legislation. The purpose of the meeting was […]

Shipping Disruptions Continue in Red Sea

Commercial vessels transiting the region remain under threat Disruptions in one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes continued this week as Houthi rebels defiantly continued their attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea despite strikes by US-led forces against targets in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen. The latest alert issued by the U.S. Department […]

Marketing Orders: January 2024

USA: Temporary Relaxation of Requirements for California Raisins The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an interim rule that temporarily changes the requirements for raisins covered under the Federal marketing order for raisins produced from grapes grown in California. For the 2023/24 crop year, the minimum requirements for substandard and maturity dockage in the marketing […]

Food Safety Update: January 2024

California: Private Applicator Certificate (“Brown Card”) Changes Under new regulations effective as of January 1, 2024, individuals currently certified as private pesticide applicators are required to take and pass the revised initial Private Applicator Certificate (PAC) Examination to demonstrate competency with the revised private applicator standards in 40 CFR Part 171. For more information, see […]

Latest Trade News and Agreements: January 2024

Brazil: Almond Imports from Argentina Allowed for First Time Brazil and Argentina recently reached an agreement to allow the import of almonds from Argentina into Brazil. The recently announced phytosanitary requirements for Argentine almonds will come into force on February 1, 2024. Under the new guidelines, a phytosanitary certificate issued by Argentina’s plant protection authority […]