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Erin Morris, Acting Deputy Administrator (email)
As AMS
Specialty Crops Program (SCP) looks forward to 2017, I’ve been reflecting on
the importance of our Industry partnerships and the collaborative efforts to
enhance our services for you in 2016. In the past year, a few of our highlights include:
·
Launch of the USDA GroupGAP program, a new food safety
certification program increasing access to USDA GAP certification for producers
of all sizes.
·
Establishment
of the Pecan marketing order, covering fifteen states. The order authorizes the pecan industry to collect industry data, conduct
research and promotion activities, and recommend grade, quality and size as
well as pack and container regulation.
·
AMS’s participation in the
government-wide International Trade Data System, expanding from a three-port
pilot program to a nationwide pilot. Importers
of fruits, vegetables and specialty crops covered under “Section 8e” import
regulations will benefit from a faster and more streamlined approval process.
·
Expansion of the
number of companies participating in the Quality Monitoring Program (QMP) to include a
major restaurant chain and its suppliers and a provider of gourmet olive oil. QMP provides a firm with objective, third party assessments of product
quality.
·
Publication of proposed revisions to the
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) regulations that would provide
clarification for growers on how they can preserve their trust rights under the
PACA.
On behalf of all SCP employees, let me
extend to you best wishes for a Happy New Year and our sincere thanks for
allowing us to be of assistance in 2016.
We look forward to continuing to work with you.
 Terry Long, Specialty Crops Market News
Division (email)
Melissa
Reeves, Specialty Crops Market News Division (email)
The U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) established national organic production
and handling standards in 2002 in response to increasing consumer demand for
the regulation of organic foods. U.S. consumers have steadily increased
purchases of organic foods and demand shows no sign of leveling off.
By far, the highest dollar
value for organic food sales is earned by fruits and vegetables, reaching over
$5.5 billion -- an increase of 72 percent from 2008, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s 2014 Organic
Survey
 Leanne
Skelton, USDA/FDA Liaison (email)
For farmers that grow,
harvest, pack and ship fruits and vegetables, FSMA’s Produce Safety Rule marks
the first time that you will be regulated in these activities by the FDA. We’ve
heard that many farmers are uncertain of what to do to comply. In addition,
manufacturers/processors, already regulated by FDA for good manufacturing
practices (GMP), may also face new preventive controls-focused
requirements. Importers of produce and processed foods also have a new
regulation to comply with.
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 Michael Durando, Director (email)
Point-of-Sale
(POS) transactions and traceability systems are just two of the technological
advances used today in the produce industry to automate retail sales, track
consumer preferences, and provide safer produce. The federal government is
also working to update its technological capabilities with the introduction of
the International
Trade Data System (ITDS), which will speed multiple agencies’
approval and release of a range of imported and exported products.
By Executive Order, ITDS will become the main
system through which traders connect with the federal government for approval
to accept loads for transport. The timeframe for this electronic filing
requirement began in July, 2016 with all import filings on the electronic system
to be implemented by October, 2016.
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