USDA

New USDA Database Will Replace Three Import Manuals and the Fruit and Vegetable Imports Requirement (FAVIR) Database

July 18, 2022 USDA APHIS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has developed a new database called “Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements” (ACIR). ACIR gives users a simple search interface for finding and displaying import requirements for agricultural commodities. It will become the official location for import requirements for commodities currently found in the Fruit and Vegetable Import Requirements (FAVIR) database and three import manuals: …

USDA Proposed Changes to Florida Citrus Marketing Order

July 5, 2022 USDA AMS

As recommended by the Florida Citrus Administrative Committee, changes would include reducing the size and quorum requirements of the committee and revising the nomination and selection processes of committee members. The requirement of allocating committee seats based on volume from each district would also be removed. Lastly, a new section would authorize the committee to receive and expend domestically sourced voluntary contributions and grant funds for promotion and research projects. …

Fluid Milk Consumption Continues Downward Trend, Proving Difficult to Reverse

June 29, 2022 Hayden Stewart and Fred Kuchler, USDA Amber Waves

The USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) Food Availability (Per Capita) Data System shows that U.S. daily per capita consumption of fluid milk decreased over each of the past seven decades. Between 1990 and 2000, it fell from 0.78 cup to 0.69 cup (an 11.5-percent decline). By 2010, it was down to 0.62 cup (10.1 percent lower than it had been in 2000). Compared with each of the previous six decades, U.S. daily per person fluid milk consumption fell at its fastest rate in the 2010s. …

USDA Proposes Modifications to Kiwifruit Marketing Order

June 27, 2022 USDA AMS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a proposal to modify the handling regulations prescribed under the federal marketing order for kiwifruit grown in California. The proposed rule was published on June 17, 2022 in the Federal Register and provides a 60-day public comment period. Comments are due by August 16, 2022. …

USDA, Innovation Center Sign MOU to Continue Dairy Sustainability Commitment

June 22, 2022 Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to continue working toward the dairy industry’s 2050 environmental stewardship goals while addressing growing consumer demand for food that is produced in a way that’s good for the planet. …