Brazil: Plant Protection Products Update
Brazil has notified the World Trade Organization of a draft resolution updating the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of various substances. The MRL for acetamiprid is updated to 0.7 mg/kg in macadamias and pecans, while the MRL for lambda-cyhalothrin is updated to 0.9 mg/kg in macadamias.
Colombia: Phytosanitary Emergency Measures Affecting Grapes
Colombia has declared a phytosanitary emergency in its national territory due to the presence of Xylella fastidiosa in the departments of Boyacá, Caldas, Caquetá, La Guajira, Magdalena, Norte de Santander, Risaralda and Valle del Cauca. The control measures set out in the resolution aim to prevent the spread of this bacterium to other regions of the country. The provisions apply to all people and companies that produce or market several types of crops, including grapes.
South Korea: Amendment of Quarantine Pest List
South Korea has notified the World Trade Organization that its Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) has amended the quarantine pest list on the basis of the results of a pest risk analysis. A total of 21 quarantine pest species have been added to the list.
Thailand: Draft Aflatoxin Control Measures for Peanut Kernel Imports
Thailand’s National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards has published draft rules that revise and enhance the existing sanitary and phytosanitary measures for aflatoxin levels in peanut kernel imports.
Three levels of inspection measures are envisaged:
- Monitoring Inspection: This measure applies to peanut kernels imported from countries without risk of non-compliance with standards or recording the exporter abroad in accordance with the Bureau’s general surveillance plan.
- Enhanced Monitoring Inspection: This applies to peanut kernels imported from countries where non-compliance has been detected in significantly higher quantities than the results of surveillance in (1) of the previous year’s import history that may endanger public health. The proportion of inspection shall be increased to 30% of the previous year’s import history.
- 100% Order Inspection: This applies to peanut kernels imported from countries where non-compliance has been detected in significantly higher quantities than the results of Enhanced Monitoring Inspection as described in (2) of the previous year’s import history that may endanger public health, which the Bureau has already notified the relevant competent authority and no corrective measures report to improve the standard control system has been received. The Bureau shall escalate the inspection to 100% Order Inspection, where officials shall detain products and collect samples for importer to have analyzed by a laboratory accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 for aflatoxin analysis and present the analysis results to officials.
The comment period closes on May 10, 2025.
USA: Comments Submitted to WTO on EU MRLs
On March 31, 2025, the US submitted three statements to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on topics related to maximum residue levels (MRLs) established by the European Union.
The first statement expresses disappointment with the European Union’s lack of substantive engagement relating to Commission Regulation 2023/334, which reduced maximum residue levels (MRLs) for clothianidin and thiamethoxam for environmental reasons associated with agricultural production in third countries. The statement outlines concerns that the reduction of MRLs for the aforementioned insecticides in imported products is simply an attempt to address the concerns of European farmers who are no longer authorized to use these insecticides in the EU and are concerned about competing with foreign producers.
The second statement urges the European Commission to provide scientific justification for its MRL reductions on the basis of specific health risks to consumers, rather than merely hazard identification, and noting that the EU’s hazard-based cut-off criteria, including endocrine disrupting properties, are not a part of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 governing the establishment of pesticide MRLs.
Finally, the third statement reiterates US concerns with the EU’s pesticide approval and renewal decisions and the systemic barriers to trade that result from the subsequent withdrawal or reduction of pesticide MRLs to the limit of quantification (LOQ) or the lower limit of determination (LOD) based on uncertainty and insufficient scientific evidence. The statement further reiterates the US request that the EU align with Codex MRLs rather than lowering MRLs to LOQ or LOD when EFSA is unable to finalize a full risk assessment.
USA: Residue Tolerances for Tiafenacil
On April 7, 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a regulation that sets tolerances for residues of tiafenacil in or on multiple commodities, including 0.01 ppm in tree nuts, peanuts, and stone fruits.