Bioengineered Food Labeling

In our July 27, 2018 blog , we explained what bioengineered (BE) food is and informed you about the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) new proposed rule for BE foods. The new rule is a result of the 2016 amendment to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, which would require food manufacturers and other entities that label foods for retail sale to disclose information about BE food and BE food ingredient content. The amended Act directs the Secretary to establish the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS) for disclosing any BE food and any food that may be bioengineered. This proposed rule is intended to provide a mandatory uniform national standard for disclosure of information to consumers about the BE status of foods. The standardized disclosure of information will facilitate food purchasing for consumers by eliminating the current uncertainty when purchasing food; effectively improving overall consumer confidence, without harming food manufacturing; and providing farms and production companies a logical, consistent standard for future labeling and packaging. […]

A Snapshot of Section 301 Effective dates and Deadline for Exclusion Request

Last updated on December 2, 2018.

The trade war has kept members in the trade industry on their toes – here is a recap.

Effective Dates:

For importers being hit by additional duties it is crucial to know when the additional duties are effective and must be paid. USTR has now issued three lists under 301 Section Trade Remedies. We urge importers to clearly understand which list their products are subject to and develop a business plan on how to prepare for additional import costs. […]

YEAR IN TRADE 2017 – Highlights of U.S. Trade Relations with China and Canada in 2017

As we continue to work hard to keep you up to date on the current Trade War between the U.S. and China, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USTIC) released The Year in Trade 2017 on August 21, 2018. The report is the USTIC’s 69th annual report submitted to the U.S. Congress under section 163(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. § 2213(c)). The report is one of the government’s most comprehensive reports about developments regarding the administration of U.S. trade policies, trade laws, and trade agreements. […]

Should You Get a Binding Ruling?

What is a Binding Ruling?

Pursuant to the Customs Modernization Act, when importing merchandise into the U.S., it is now the responsibility of the importer of record to use “reasonable care” to “enter,” “classify,” and “value” the goods and provide any other information necessary to enable U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to properly assess duties, collect accurate statistics, and determine whether all other applicable legal requirements are met.

A binding ruing request can be extremely beneficial to importers, because it can provide them with certainty regarding concerns they may have about their merchandise. […]

MY GOODS HAVE BEEN SEIZED, WHAT SHOULD I DO?! / ¡Mis Bienes Han Sido Decomisados!, ¿Qué Debo Hacer?

Why Have My Goods Been Seized?

For many companies who begin the process of importing goods there is an expectation and an underlying hope that the entire process will run smoothly. However, if your product is not compliant with U.S. laws and regulations, 19 CFR Part 162 and 19 CFR 151 authorizes U.S. Customs & Border (CBP) to either detain or seize your goods upon importation. For importers, the best moment to contact a Customs expert is at the detention phase. This will expedite the correct communication with CBP and increase the likelihood of your product not being seized. […]

Go to Top