United States and Canada Announce Second Phase of Truck Cargo Pre-Inspection Pilot
Department of Homeland Security / http://www.dhs.gov/news/2014/02/24/united-states-and-canada-announce-second-phase-truck-cargo-pre-inspection-pilot
Next Step of Beyond the Border Initiative Begins at Peace Bridge Crossing
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in partnership with Public Safety Canada and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), officially launched Phase II of the truck cargo pre-inspection pilot at the Peace Bridge crossing between Fort Erie, Ontario and Buffalo, New York. The pilot is a key deliverable under the Beyond the Border Action Plan issued by President Obama and Prime Minister Harper in 2011.
The United States and Canada are using the pilot to test the concept of conducting CBP primary inspection of U.S.-bound truck cargo in Canada in order to better manage their shared border and improve economic opportunities for both countries.
“The commencement of this pilot is another key Beyond the Border success,” said Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. “The joint efforts of the United States and Canada are key to expediting the secure flow of commerce and improving the economic opportunity of our two countries.”
Deputy Secretary Mayorkas, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Honourable Steven Blaney, Canada’s Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Robert Nicholson, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and U.S. Representative Brian Higgins attended today’s announcement. Earlier, Deputy Secretary Mayorkas, Minister Blaney and Minister Nicholson toured the CBP truck cargo pre-inspection area to see first-hand how pre-inspection has the potential to alleviate congestion and allow for faster crossings for travelers and trucks, all in a secure manner.
“The Governments of Canada and the U.S. are ensuring the efficient flow of legitimate travelers and goods across our shared border,” said Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. “I am pleased with the success of Phase I at the Pacific Highway Crossing in British Columbia and that we are now launching Phase II of this important Beyond the Border Action Plan initiative.”
Phase II of the pilot will test the ability of the pre-inspection process to reduce wait times and border congestion—streamlining the flow of cross-border trade that is vital to both country’s economies. Pre-inspection processing in Canada will include radiation screening and basic primary processing. Secondary inspections, when required, will continue to be conducted in the U.S. port of entry.
“Today is a banner day for Western New York, its commuters, restaurants, businesses, sports teams, residents and more,” said U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer. “It’s been a long road getting the Peace Bridge chosen as one of only two pilot sites in the country for pre-clearance of commercial truck traffic on the Canadian side, but I am confident it will prove worth the wait. Starting today, the pilot program will make history in Western New York, and if it’s successful, could lead to its permanence and the relocation of all truck inspections to Ontario.”
“The United States and Canada have long enjoyed a strong binational partnership further bolstered by the Beyond the Border agreement,” said U.S. Representative Brian Higgins. “Pre-inspection saw success during phase I and holds great promise of facilitating a more efficient flow of goods, delivering environmental benefits and reducing congestion for all crossing the bridge. A more predictable border serves to grow the already deeply connected economies of Western New York and Southern Ontario supporting jobs and businesses on both sides of the bridge.”
Phase I of the initiative, which began June 2013 at the Pacific Highway crossing adjacent to Surrey, British Columbia, determined the feasibility of placing CBP officers on Canadian soil to pre-inspect selected southbound trucks, drivers and cargo prior to arrival into the United States.
On February 4, 2011, President Obama and Prime Minister Harper announced the U.S.-Canada joint declaration, Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. It articulates a shared vision where both our countries work together to address threats at the earliest point possible, while facilitating the legitimate movement of people, goods, and services into our countries and across our shared border.
NOTICES TO THE WILDLIFE IMPORT/EXPORT COMMUNITY:
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services / http://www.fws.gov/le/public-bulletin.html
Controls on Import, Export and Interstate Sale of Elephant Ivory and Other Products Made from ESA-listed Species (February 26, 20140
International Trade Administration - PRESS RELEASES
http://www.trade.gov/press/press-releases/
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, joined in announcing Tuesday the implementation of the international Travelers Don’t Pack a Pest outreach program, a multi-agency initiative. The announcement was made at the Cyril E. King Airport.
The US Virgin Islands join Puerto Rico and Jamaica as locations in the Caribbean to partner in the Travelers Don’t Pack a Pest.
The Travelers Don’t Pack a Pest program is designed to raise public awareness about the risks associated with passengers potentially introducing pests and diseases into, the United States and the Caribbean Region, by carrying agricultural and food items in their luggage when they travel.
"The Travelers Don't Pack a Pest program was conceived to extend the protection of Florida's food supply and environment to our Caribbean neighbors and beyond," said Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry Division Director, Richard Gaskalla.
“We are bringing information to all our constituents and partners because we want them to work closely with us,” stated Leyinska Wiscovitch, from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Thousands of pounds of agricultural produce are confiscated at ports of entry from passengers on a daily basis. Some travelers are not aware these items are prohibited, while some knowingly attempt to bring in prohibited items.
“Agriculture inspections are a crucial part of the inspection process for items entering into the country,” said Marcelino Borges, director of Field Operations for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. “A single dangerous pest could cause millions of dollars of damage to our nation’s crops.”
These undeclared items pose a serious threat to our food and natural resources as exotic invasive pests can enter through this pathway and become established, causing millions of dollars to manage or eradicate. In addition, these unwanted invaders can result in loss of export markets due to quarantines and can negatively impact natural areas.
If travelers know ahead of time what they can and cannot take in their baggage, they will avoid possible fines as well as avoid having the items confiscated. The focus of this creative agricultural protection outreach program in Florida and Puerto Rico is very appropriate as both are linked as high risk areas vulnerable to new pest introductions through trade and tourism.
The Travelers Don’t Pack a Pest includes airing a sixty (60) second video and the placement of signs at strategic areas in major airports and cruise ship ports, along with distribution of other public education materials to the traveling public. These program elements deliver a simple message, “When you travel, declare agriculture items, Don’t Pack a Pest.”
CBP agriculture specialists are determined to safeguard American Agriculture by demonstrating careful diligence as they examine imported shipments detecting and preventing entry into the country of exotic plant pests and foreign animal diseases that could harm our agricultural resources.
FDA Issues First Orders to Stop Sale, Distribution of Tobacco Products
U.S. Food & Drug Administration / http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm386707.htm
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued orders today to stop the further sale and distribution of four tobacco products currently on the market. The action marks the first time the FDA has used its authority under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act to order a manufacturer of currently available tobacco products to stop selling and distributing them.
The products – Sutra Bidis Red, Sutra Bidis Menthol, Sutra Bidis Red Cone, and Sutra Bidis Menthol Cone – were found to be not substantially equivalent to tobacco products commercially marketed as of February 15, 2007, also known as predicate products. This means they can no longer be sold or distributed in interstate commerce or imported into the United States.
Bidis are thin, hand-rolled cigarettes filled with tobacco and wrapped in leaves from a tendu tree that are tied with string. The manufacturer, Jash International, did not meet the requirements of the Tobacco Control Act to be able to continue selling these products.
“Historically, tobacco companies controlled which products came on and off the market without any oversight,” said Mitch Zeller, J.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “But the Tobacco Control Act gave the FDA, a science-based regulatory agency, the authority to review applications and determine which new tobacco products may be sold and distributed under the law in order to protect public health.”
Under the Tobacco Control Act, regulated products were allowed to stay on the market if companies submitted an application to the FDA by March 22, 2011. The law requires the FDA to review product applications so the agency can decide whether the products are substantially equivalent (SE) to valid predicate products. If a company fails to provide the necessary information to show that their product is SE to a predicate product, the FDA has the authority to declare a product not substantially equivalent, which means that it can no longer be sold or distributed in interstate commerce.
In this case, Jash International did not identify eligible predicate tobacco products as required for the FDA to perform an SE review. Also, the company did not provide information necessary to determine whether the new products had the same characteristics as a predicate product, or had different characteristics but did not raise different questions of public health, the basis used by the FDA to review SE applications for tobacco products.
“Companies have an obligation to comply with the law – in this case, by providing evidence to support an SE application,” said Zeller. “Because the company failed to meet the requirement of the Tobacco Control Act, the FDA’s decision means that, regardless of when the products were manufactured, these four products can no longer be legally imported or sold or distributed through interstate commerce in the United States.”
Existing inventory may be subject to enforcement action, including seizure, without further notice. Companies that continue to sell and distribute these products in the United States may be subject to enforcement actions by the FDA.
With regard to retailers, FDA does not intend to take enforcement action for 30 days on previously purchased products that a retailer has in its inventory. This policy does not apply to inventory purchased by retailers after the date of the order. FDA has issued draft guidance containing more information on the agency’s enforcement policy for certain tobacco products that the FDA finds not substantially equivalent. It will be open for public comment for 60 days, beginning Tuesday, February 25.
The FDA encourages retailers to contact their supplier or the manufacturer to discuss possible options for the misbranded and adulterated product or products that the retailers have in current inventory.
Consumers and other interested parties can report a potential tobacco-related violation of the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act, including NSE products that continue to be sold or distributed in the United States, by using the FDA’s Potential Tobacco Product Violation Reporting Form.
For more information:
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
FDA Proposes Updates to Nutrition Facts Label on Food Packages
U.S. Food & Drug Admininstration / http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm387418.htm
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today proposed to update the Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods to reflect the latest scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease. The proposed label also would replace out-of-date serving sizes to better align with how much people really eat, and it would feature a fresh design to highlight key parts of the label such as calories and serving sizes.
“Our guiding principle here is very simple: that you as a parent and a consumer should be able to walk into your local grocery store, pick up an item off the shelf, and be able to tell whether it’s good for your family,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “So this is a big deal, and it’s going to make a big difference for families all across this country.”
“For 20 years consumers have come to rely on the iconic nutrition label to help them make healthier food choices,” said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. “To remain relevant, the FDA’s newly proposed Nutrition Facts label incorporates the latest in nutrition science as more has been learned about the connection between what we eat and the development of serious chronic diseases impacting millions of Americans."
PROPOSED FORMAT
CURRENT FORMAT
Some of the changes to the label the FDA proposed today would:
- Require information about the amount of “added sugars” in a food product. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans states that intake of added sugar is too high in the U.S. population and should be reduced. The FDA proposes to include “added sugars” on the label to help consumers know how much sugar has been added to the product.
- Update serving size requirements to reflect the amounts people currently eat. What and how much people eat and drink has changed since the serving sizes were first put in place in 1994. By law, serving sizes must be based on what people actually eat, not on what people “should” be eating. Present calorie and nutrition information for the whole package of certain food products that could be consumed in one sitting.
- Present “dual column” labels to indicate both “per serving” and “per package” calorie and nutrition information for larger packages that could be consumed in one sitting or multiple sittings.
- Require the declaration of potassium and vitamin D, nutrients that some in the U.S. population are not getting enough of, which puts them at higher risk for chronic disease. Vitamin D is important for its role in bone health. Potassium is beneficial in lowering blood pressure. Vitamins A and C would no longer be required on the label, though manufacturers could declare them voluntarily.
- Revise the Daily Values for a variety of nutrients such as sodium, dietary fiber and Vitamin D. Daily Values are used to calculate the Percent Daily Value on the label, which helps consumers understand the nutrition information in the context of a total daily diet.
- While continuing to require “Total Fat,” “Saturated Fat,” and “Trans Fat” on the label, “Calories from Fat” would be removed because research shows the type of fat is more important than the amount.
- Refresh the format to emphasize certain elements, such as calories, serving sizes and Percent Daily Value, which are important in addressing current public health problems like obesity and heart disease.
The proposed updates reflect new dietary recommendations, consensus reports, and national survey data, such as the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, nutrient intake recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, and intake data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The FDA also considered extensive input and comments from a wide range of stakeholders.
“By revamping the Nutrition Facts label, FDA wants to make it easier than ever for consumers to make better informed food choices that will support a healthy diet.” said Michael R. Taylor, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine. “To help address obesity, one of the most important public health problems facing our country, the proposed label would drive attention to calories and serving sizes.”
The Nutrition Facts label has been required on food packages for 20 years, helping consumers better understand the nutritional value of foods so they can make healthy choices for themselves and their families. The label has not changed significantly since 2006 when information on trans fat had to be declared on the label, prompting manufacturers to reduce partially hydrogenated oils, the main source of trans fat, in many of their products.
The changes proposed today affect all packaged foods except certain meat, poultry and processed egg products, which are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
The FDA is also proposing to make corresponding updates to the Supplement Facts label on dietary supplements where applicable.
The agency is accepting public comment on the proposed changes for 90 days.