By David Fairfield, Senior Vice President of Feed Services The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Oct. 1 released the results of its FY 2016 Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program that indicate whether the levels of pesticide chemical residues measured by agency in the U.S. food supply are generally in compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pesticide tolerances. For human food, the latest report indicates that for the pesticides tested in fiscal year (FY) 2016 (Oct. 1, 2015 through Sept. 30, 2016) more than 99 percent of the 2,670 domestic and 90 percent of the ... Read More
Newsletter
USDA extends comment deadline on soybean, corn and canola standards to Dec. 3
The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Oct. 2 issued a Federal Register notice officially extending the comment deadline to Dec. 3 on its request for comments on potential changes to the official U.S. grain standards for soybeans, corn and canola. The NGFA and North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) had requested that USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) extend the comment period on the three standards by at least an additional 60 days to provide additional time to develop industry comments. USDA’s Federal Grain Inspection Service, which is spearheading the review, became a ... Read More
NGFA commends lawmakers for letter urging FDA to reclassify pulse crops as grain under FSMA
The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) is commending members of Congress for urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reclassify specific pulse crops as grains to qualify for the exemption from certain requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) that applies to raw agricultural commodities other than fruits and vegetables. The NGFA has been urging FDA to reclassify pulses as a “grain” to avoid imposing unnecessary, inappropriate and costly regulatory requirements on grain elevators that store pulses. Under FSMA, FDA is authorized to grant a science- and ... Read More
NGFA asks IRS to clarify deduction for agribusinesses in proposed rule implementing Section 199A
In a letter submitted on Oct. 1 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the NGFA recommended the agency should clarify a recently proposed rule to ensure agribusiness firms like grain elevators, feed manufacturers and grain processors qualify for the pass-through deduction under Section 199A of the tax code. Read story (requires member log-in) ... Read More
As retailers expand use of blockchain, learn more about the technology at the 47th annual Country Elevator Conference
Walmart announced Sept. 24 that it will ask suppliers of fresh, leafy greens to trace their products back to the farm using blockchain technology. “All fresh leafy greens suppliers are expected to be able to trace their products back to farm(s) (by production lot) in seconds – not days,” the company said in a letter to suppliers. “To do this, suppliers will be required to capture digital, end-to-end traceability event information using the IBM Food Trust network.” Direct suppliers are expected to have these systems in place by Jan. 31 and all “end-to-end” suppliers are expected to comply ... Read More
Purdue University report: Grain entrapments decreased in 2017
By Jess McCluer, Vice President of Safety and Regulatory Affairs Purdue University’s Agricultural Safety and Health Program recently released the “2017 Summary of U.S. Agricultural and Confined-Space Related Injuries and Fatalities” report, which documents 23 grain entrapment cases that occurred in 2017. The 23 grain entrapment cases represent a 26 percent decrease in entrapments from 2016 when 29 entrapments were recorded. The number of fatal cases (11) is the second lowest recorded since 1985; only 2012 reported a lower number of cases (8). Notably, Purdue does not specifically ... Read More
NGFA Hill Briefing: Farm Bill pushed to lame duck
By Bobby Frederick, Director of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy As NGFA Newsletter readers will remember from last week’s congressional update, Sept. 30 represents the end of the fiscal year and the technical expiration of the current farm bill. However, it appears that a pre-midterm election government shutdown will be averted, and passage of a new farm bill will have to wait until the lame duck session of Congress at the earliest. The House on Sept. 26 approved H.R. 6157 by a vote of 361-61. This $855 billion measure will fund defense, health and education programs for the rest ... Read More
U.S. and Korea sign trade agreement
President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in conducted a signing ceremony for a new U.S.-Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) following a Sept. 24 bilateral meeting at the United Nations. “I think our farmers are going to be extremely happy, it was very limited as to what they could do and what they could send and now it’s an open market and they're going to be sending a lot more farm products,” Trump said. In fact, the new trade accord results in no significant changes to previous market access for U.S. agricultural products to South Korea’s ... Read More
U.S. and Japan agree to begin bilateral trade agreement talks
By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media The United States and Japan have agreed to start negotiations on a trade agreement, fulfilling President Donald Trump’s preference to negotiate a bilateral deal after withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Trump and Japan Prime Minister Shinzō Abe met in New York on Sept. 26 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting. “We reaffirmed our determination to further expand trade and investment between the United States and Japan in a mutually beneficial manner, including through further concrete steps, as ... Read More
U.S. may proceed with U.S.-Mexico trade text without Canada
By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media The Trump administration indicated this week it may send Congress a revised U.S.-Mexico trade deal that does not include Canada by Oct. 1, in an attempt to give U.S. lawmakers the required 60 days to review the text and ensure it is signed before current Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto leaves office on Dec. 1. “If we can’t get an agreement with Canada, we’re clearly not going to walk away from one with Mexico,” U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said Tuesday (Sept. 25) in New York City. “Canada is not making ... Read More
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