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| Horticultural & Tropical Products Division | Return to the H&TP Home Page |
January 12, 2001
USDA Seeks Proposals for Hass Avocado Research and Promotion Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking proposals for implementing the Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Act. The act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to implement a research and promotion program to increase demand for Hass avocados in the United States. The act was implemented to allow the Hass avocado industry to operate a self-help promotion program at no cost to the federal government. The program would be supervised by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Under the program, a 12-member Hass Avocado Board composed of domestic producers and importers would collect an assessment of 2.5 cents per pound on fresh domestic production and on fresh and processed imports of Hass avocados. Once proposals are received, AMS will publish them for public comment. Then Hass avocado producers and importers will be provided the opportunity to vote in a national referendum on whether the program should become effective. Proposals should be sent in triplicate to: Docket Clerk, AMS/F&V Research & Promotion Branch, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, USDA Stop 0244, Washington DC 20250-0244; fax (202) 205-2800; or e-mail malinda.farmer@usda.gov. Proposals must be received by the docket clerk no later than Feb. 7, 2000. Additional information can be obtained from Margaret B. Irby at the same address, or telephone (202) 720-9915, or e-mail margaret.irby@usda.gov. The act and a summary of its provisions are posted on the AMS website at www.ams.usda.gov/fv/rpb.html
Methyl Parathion Tolerance Revocations to Take Effect
Under authority of The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA), the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published on January 5,
2000 a notice in the Federal Register announcing the revocation
(elimination) of 30 tolerances (maximum permissible residue
levels) for the organophosphate pesticide methyl parathion. The
tolerance revocation affects a variety of crops, including
apples, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, celery, cherries,
grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, and plums. This action
follows up on the August 1999 voluntary industry cancellation of
these and certain other uses of methyl parathion. The uses were
canceled based upon EPA's determination that acute dietary risks
from methyl parathion in food did not meet current safety
standards, especially for the protection of children. Under terms
of the voluntary agreement between EPA and the companies that
produce methyl parathion, this pesticide can not be used on these
food crops after Dec. 31, 1999. The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration is providing guidance for foods that have been
legally treated with methyl parathion prior to December 1999.
FQPA ensures that legally treated foods are allowed to be
marketed in commerce without any disruptions. Further details
about this action and the FDA guidance are available at: www.epa.gov/fedrgstr
USDA Announces Outlook Forum 2001
USDA invites you to attend the 77th annual Outlook Forum on February 22 and 23, 2001, in Arlington, Virginia. The program will feature discussion of the next farm bill, world trade talks and trends shaping the business of agriculture, including emerging market and trade practices for fruits and vegetables. Leading analysts will assess the farm and commodity outlook for 2001. Attendees will receive new USDA long-term commodity projections. There will be ample time for networking at this popular event. For program and registration details, please go to http://www.usda.gov/oce or e-mail agforum@oce.usda.gov, or call 202-314-3451.
Canada Requests NAFTA Consultations on U.S. Restrictions on PEI Potatoes
On January 2, 2000, Canada requested North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA) Consultations with the United States with
respect to U.S. restrictions on imports of potatoes from the
province of Prince Edward Island (PEI), following the discovery
of an outbreak of potato wart on October 26, 2000. Trade sources
estimate the damage to PEI agriculture has been about $15
million. The U.S. buys almost 10 percent of the annual PEI potato
crop. In 1999, about 96,000 metric tons of PEI potatoes were
destined for the United States.
ITC to Investigate the Impact of European Union Policies on the Global Competitiveness of U.S. Horticultural Products
In a December 13, 2000 press release, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) announced that it had launched a general fact-finding investigation on the effects of European Union (EU) policies on the competitive position of the U.S. and the EU horticultural products sectors. The investigation, The Effects of EU Policies on the Competitive Position of the U.S. and EU Horticultural Products Sectors (Inv. No. 332-423), was requested by the U.S. Trade Representative in a letter received November 16, 2000. As requested, the ITC's report will provide information on EU policies and programs that may enhance the competitiveness of EU producers and exporters, including domestic support commitments and export subsidies the EU reports to the WTO, the EU entry price system, the producer organization system, and EU tariffs. The investigation will describe policies and programs and will analyze the extent to which such programs affect the competitive conditions between EU producers and exporters and U.S. producers. As requested, the ITC's investigation will focus on the following specific horticultural products: citrus (including fresh oranges, fresh clementines, fresh lemons, and orange juice), deciduous fruit (including fresh apples, fresh pears, fresh peaches, and processed peaches), dried prunes, tree nuts (including almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts), tomatoes (including fresh tomatoes and processed tomatoes), and wine. The ITC will submit its report to the USTR by December 1, 2001. A portion of the report will be confidential.
To assist in identifying issues affecting the sectors under
investigation, the Commission requested that interested parties
provide preliminary written comments by 5 p.m. on March 1, 2001.
Preliminary written comments should be addressed to the
Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW,
Washington, DC 20436. The ITC will hold a public hearing in
connection with this investigation on April 26, 2001, at 9:30
a.m. at the ITC Building, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC.
Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed no later
than 5:15 p.m. on April 12, 2001, with the Secretary, U.S.
International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC
20436. The ITC also welcomes written submissions for the record
in this investigation. Written statements (one original and 14
copies) should be submitted at the earliest practical date but no
later than 5:15 p.m. on June 11, 2001. All written submissions,
except for confidential business information, will be available
for public inspection. Written submissions should be addressed to
the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500
E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Further information on the
scope of this investigation and appropriate submissions is
available in the ITC's notice of investigation, dated December
12, 2000, which may be obtained from the ITC Internet site ( http://www.usitc.gov ) or by
contacting the Office of the Secretary at the above address or at
202-205-1806.
New National Organic Food Standards Announced
On December 20, 2000 Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman
announced the final national standards for the production,
handling, and processing of organically grown agricultural
products. The new organic food standards require that foods
marked with the new "USDA Organic" seal cannot be
genetically engineered, irradiated, or fertilized with sewage
sludge. The standards create clear guidelines for farmers wishing
to take advantage of the exploding demand for organic products.
Organic growers in California, which led the push for the new
standards, say new federal standards could legitimize organic
farming and be a boon to the industry. The organic program
manager for California's Department of Agriculture said the
standards will mean "an additional standard of integrity in
the marketplace, and the ability to move product from state to
state and country to country."
USDA Proposes Reparations for Citrus Canker Eradication
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
proposed to establish provisions under which eligible owners of
commercial citrus groves would receive payments to recover
production income as a result of the removal of commercial citrus
trees to control citrus canker. USDA fiscal year 2001
appropriations included funding for these provisions. "This
proposal would help to reduce the economic effects of the citrus
canker quarantine on commercial citrus growers," said
Michael V. Dunn, then USDA’s Under Secretary for Marketing
and Regulatory Programs. The amount paid per acre for destroyed
commercial groves will vary depending on the type of citrus trees
within each grove. Citrus canker is a plant disease that can
cause defoliation and other serious damage to the leaves and
twigs of susceptible plants. The disease also creates lesions on
inflected fruit and causes fruit to drop from trees before
reaching maturity.
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