Original Source

The FDA is asking establishments currently exporting certain food products to China to voluntarily submit information. We are making this request in response to new facility registration requirements from China. While China has not confirmed that collecting this information is a prerequisite for U.S. establishments to export to China, the FDA is making this request as a precaution against potential trade disruption.  In April 2021, China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) announced new registration requirements that affect all overseas food manufacturers, processors, and storage facilities of food products exported to China. These requirements are described in China’s Decree 248 and will be in effect on January 1, 2022.  

Articles 7 and 8 of the Decree require the exporting countries’ competent authorities to recommend registration of establishments involved in the export to China of certain food categories:

1. Meat and meat products
2. Aquatic products
3. Dairy products
4. Bird nests and bird nest products
5. Casings
6. Bee products
7. Eggs and egg products
8. Edible oils and fats
9. Stuffed wheaten products
10. Edible grains

1. Milled grain industry products and malt
2. Fresh and dehydrated vegetables and dried beans
3. Condiments
4. Nuts and seeds
5. Dried fruits
6. Unroasted coffee beans and cocoa beans
7. Foods for special dietary purposes
8. Functional food

For products that do not fall within the 18 product categories listed in Article 7 and above, the GACC launched a system to facilitate self-registration as indicated in Article 9 of Decree 248. The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has published information on the self-registration process.

According to the GACC, it will continue to recognize existing registrations for establishments that export meat and meat products, aquatic products, dairy and infant formula products and bird nests and bird nest products. The FDA currently facilitates the registration of U.S. firms for seafood, dairy, and infant formula products by providing the GACC with documents that identify certified establishments and products that meet applicable U.S. requirements. U.S. firms that have applied in the FDA’s Export Listing Module (ELM) and are currently listed as certified by the GACC to export seafood, dairy, and infant formula products to China do not need to take any action at this time related to registration.

For all other categories of food, the U.S. government interprets the Decree to provide that these products are covered by the existing bilateral agreements with China, such as the Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement, and other bilateral facility registration arrangements. USTR has asked the GACC to confirm its understanding that U.S. establishments that export all other categories of products may self-register. To date the GACC has not confirmed this interpretation of Decree 248 and has failed to provide adequate further guidance for the United States.  While the United States continues to engage with China at multiple levels to ensure minimal new requirements for the United States, the FDA is taking proactive steps to maintain current market access for FDA-regulated firms in the United States that export food to China. 

IMPORTANT DATES FOR U.S. ESTABLISHMENTS

As the U.S competent authority for many of the product categories named in Article 7 of Decree 248, the FDA is collecting information in the Export Listing Module (ELM) from U.S. firms that may be needed to facilitate the registration process before the new requirements go into effect on January 1, 2022.

Beginning on December 6, 2021, U.S. establishments that currently produce or store FDA-regulated products for export to China that fall into the product categories 5-18 listed above may submit an application via the FDA’s Export Listing Module (ELM), providing information for products they currently export to China to allow the FDA to facilitate registration of these establishments with China. Step-by-step instructions for using the ELM are available on the FDA’s website.

To ensure that the FDA has the relevant establishment information before the end of the year, any U.S. establishment currently exporting food products in categories 5-18 to China should submit applications to the ELM by December 17, 2021. In addition to meeting U.S. requirements, firms exporting to China are responsible for meeting relevant China regulations and requirements.

Please note that the FDA does not intend to provide a declaration of conformity or other competent authority statement directly to U.S. establishments. In the event it is needed for registration for China, the FDA may provide an attestation directly to GACC for U.S. establishments and their products that comply with applicable U.S. requirements in order to facilitate registration. 

For more details on China’s requirements, additional information on the U.S. competent authority for certain products that are under the FDA’s authority or the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s authority, or both and for step-by-step instructions on how to apply to the ELM, visit Food Export Library and Online Applications for Export Lists.

For more information, contact the Export Certification Team at CFSANExportCertification@fda.hhs.gov.

Related Pages:

• Food Export Lists
• Food Export Library 
• Online Applications for Export Lists
• FAS GAIN Report – Overseas Facilities Registration Regulation – Decree 248
• FAS GAIN Report – GACC Issues Interpretation of Decree 248

Aloha all! As part of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s ongoing efforts to facilitate the purchase of locally produced food by State institutions, HDOA invites local agricultural producers to share product availability information with HDOA and our and our state-operated institutional partners (i.e. schools, hospitals, prisons). CLICK HERE or use the link below to update information on your current and upcoming stocks of local agricultural products. There is an option to select no change from last response for those who regularly reply to HDOA’s inquiries. If you check this box, your most recent response will be submitted to state agencies, and you may forgo completing the rest of the form (but please do remember to include your contact information and use the button at the bottom to submit your form). As always, feel free to share the link with any local agricultural producers or agricultural organizations who you think might be interested in sharing information. Thank you for your responses!  

HDOA Agricultural Producer Inquiry Form: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/f2sform/

Responses to the inquiry are optional. Use the linked form to provide information to State institutions on available products, upcoming harvests, and any existing surpluses that need to be brought to market quickly. Responses will be sent to food procurement personnel in the Hawaii Department of Education (DOE), the Hawaii Department of Public Safety (PSD), and within the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC) to inform those institutions’ menu and purchase planning decisions.     

Hawaii Department of Agriculture will only voluntarily share this information with personnel at our institutional partners. However, HDOA has no control over this information once it has been transmitted to our institutional partners (who often purchase through distributors and may share this information with distributors). PLEASE DO NOT SHARE INFORMATION THAT YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE GENERALLY AVAILABLE.

D. Heath Williams

Special Assistant to the Chairperson

Hawaii Department of Agriculture

NIFA’s Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (CFPCGP) is soliciting applications to fund two types of grants. The types are entitled (1) Community Food Projects (CFP) and (2) Planning Projects (PP). The purpose of the CFP is to support the development of projects with a one-time infusion of federal dollars to make such projects self-sustaining. CFPs are designed to create community-based food projects with objectives, activities and outcomes that are in alignment with Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (CFPCGP) primary goals. The purpose of a Planning Project (PP) is to complete a plan toward the improvement of community food security in keeping with the primary goals of the CFPCGP. Projects and plans are to focus on a defined community and describe in detail the activities and outcomes of the plan or project.

Learn More or Apply for Grant

Dear colleagues,

The World Intellectual Property Association (WIPO at https://www.wipo.int) is hosting its first Asia/Pacific virtual conference dedicated to coffee production on November 10th and 11th. The program is two half-days of short lecture and panel sessions, featuring coffee and intellectual property experts who will address a broad range of strategies, opportunities, and challenges creating value in coffee production and trade using intellectual property tools. A copy of the conference program and short introduction to the speakers is attached. 

Registration is free and all are welcome to attend, so please feel free to distribute this announcement. Please write or call anytime at +1 (808) 990-8717 with any questions. We hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Andrew

Details:

Day 1: https://wipo-int.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ET6DVCqfTN64QzbBfO3ZHA

November 10, 08:00 - 11:00 GMT +7 (Cambodia/Jakarta/Laos/Thailand/Vietnam / ICT)

Nov. 9 - 17:00 GMT -8 (Los Angeles / US PST)

Nov. 9 - 20:00 GMT -5 (New York / US EST)

Nov. 10 - 03:00 GMT +1 (Geneva / CET)

Nov. 10 - 10:00 GMT +9 (Japan/Korea/Timor-Leste)

Nov. 10 - 11:00 GMT +10 (Port Moresby/Brisbane)

Nov. 10 - Noon GMT +11 (Sydney / AEDT)

Nov. 10 - 14:00 GMT +13 (Auckland)

Day 2: https://wipo-int.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VtCETNP_RCidC8kOLair7Q

November 11, 14:00 - 17:00 GMT +7 (Cambodia/Jakarta/Laos/Thailand/Vietnam / ICT)

Nov. 10 - 23:00 GMT -8 (Los Angeles / US PST)

Nov. 11 - 02:00 GMT -5 (New York / US EST)

Nov. 11 - 08:00 GMT +1 (Geneva / CET)

Nov. 11 - 16:00 GMT +9 (Japan/Korea/Timor-Leste)

Nov. 10 - 11:00 GMT +10 (Port Moresby/Brisbane)

Nov. 11 - 18:00 GMT +11 (Sydney / AEDT)

Nov. 11 - 20:00 GMT +13 (Auckland)

Event Summary: 

Regional Conference on Adding Value to Coffee Production with Intellectual Property

The world runs on coffee and worldwide consumption is expected to keep growing. Coffee is one of the most important global commodities with raw material trade valued over US $102 billion in 2019, with an economic impact of more than $200 billion in the United States alone.

Worldwide, the coffee industry provides livelihood to some 125 million people, among which twenty-five million smallholder farmers producing 80 percent of the world’s production. Coffee grows mainly in the tropics and trades internationally in US dollars, making it an important and sustainable export contributing significantly to the GDP of many developing countries.

The global market for coffee consumption has matured in recent decades, creating niche segments offering price premiums for uniquely desirable characteristics. Terroir, good agricultural practices, certifications, branding, trademarks, geographic indications, traceability systems, and unique patented processes all contribute to value addition in a thriving differentiated, or specialty, segment of the coffee trade.

APAC coffee policy has historically prioritized productivity improvements to gain market share, with less emphasis on differentiation to increase value. In recent years, this has led to an under-representation of APAC coffees in the highest value and fastest-growing consumer markets. Furthermore, concentration on high volume commodity exports places millions of regional smallholder producers at a disadvantage in direct competition with comparatively few large and efficient coffee agribusinesses exporters in Brazil, the world's largest coffee producer.

The panel will present thought-provoking ideas, strategies, and case studies from around the world. Participants will leave these sessions with a better understanding of global coffee market dynamics and how to better position themselves to take advantage of emerging opportunities and earn more from coffee production using intellectual property. Participants will have the opportunity to engage the experts after the conference and explore possible initiatives with WIPO.

Moderator: Andrew Hetzel

Speakers:

Andrew Ong, Director, Division for Asia and Pacific, WIPO

Carsten Fink, Chief Economist, IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector, WIPO

Luis Samper, International Consultant, 4.0 Brands

Blanca Castro, Chapter Relations Director, International Women's Coffee Alliance

Darrin Daniel, Executive Director, Alliance for Coffee Excellence

Mario Fernandez-Alduenda, Technical Officer, Specialty Coffee Association

Molly Harriss Olsen, CEO, Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand

Pacita Juan, Co-Chair, Philippine Coffee Board

Sara Morrocchi, Founder and Consultant, VUNA Origin Consulting

Stephen Hurst, Managing Director and Founder, Mercanta

Kraig Kraft, Asia & Africa Director, World Coffee Research

Stephane Passeri, Geographical Indications Expert and Consultant to FAO

Giulio Zanetti, IP Attorney, Adjunct Professor, and Consultant to WIPO

--

Andrew Hetzel (he/him/his)

Coffee Market and Value Chain Specialist

US: +1 (808) 445-9670 | AU: +61 3 9016 0478 (no SMS) | in Hawaii (GMT-10)

https://www.CoffeeStrategies.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 28, 2021

MEDIA CONTACT: Martha Spieker (Hirono) 202-365-7943

Hawaii Congressional Delegation Announces $6 Million Grant to Address Coffee Leaf Rust 

Funding supports research to combat devastating fungus threatening coffee industry

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Brian Schatz and Representatives Ed Case and Kai Kahele announced $6,007,090 in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) grants program to the Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council (SHAC) to address Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR). 

 

This four-year grant will support a coordinated approach to addressing CLR across various entities, including the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (DKI-US-PBARC), the ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station (TARS) in Puerto Rico, University of Hawaii, University of Puerto Rico, as well as Purdue University and Michigan State University. The five main objectives of this grant include breeding rust-resistant varieties of coffee, surveying spread and identifying field management options for farmers to use to protect existing coffee trees, identifying fungicides or biological control methods to combat CLR, genomic work on CLR, and economic analyses of domestically grown coffee.

 

“Over the past year our more than 1,400 coffee growers in Hawaii have been dealing with one of the greatest threats to their industry,” Senator Hirono said. “This funding will help bring together leading experts in coffee research to protect one of our most iconic crops, so coffee can continue contributing to our local economy and culture.”

 

“This new federal funding is an important step supporting our coffee growers against Coffee Leaf Rust,” said Senator Schatz. “By developing rust-resistant coffee varieties and researching the disease to better combat it, we’ll be able to protect and maintain the unique quality of Hawaii coffee. This is great news for our state.”

 

“This is very welcome news especially coming on the heels of the sobering discovery this summer that coffee leaf rust has spread to all the major islands in the State of Hawaii," said Congressman Case. "As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have worked to secure millions of dollars in federal research funding for Hawaii’s tropical specialty crops like coffee and macadamia nut, and while our funding has helped mitigate the effects of the macadamia felted coccid, coffee berry borer and coffee leaf rust, current law limits the scope of federal research dollars. The members of our Hawaii Congressional delegation last month introduced bicameral legislation to continue to battle these agricultural pests to greatly enhance our ability to fund much more comprehensive coffee as well as macadamia nut research to preserve and grow these invaluable industries.”

 

“The success of Hawaii’s coffee industry has been a priority of mine since my tenure in the State Senate, and now as a U.S. Congressman. Our coffee industry circulates more than $200 million annually in the local economy creating business and job opportunities back home,” Congressman Kahele said. “I applaud the team of dedicated scientists, farmers, project managers and others who crafted the award-winning Specialty Crop Research Initiative application and send my thanks to Suzanne Shriner, Executive Director of the Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council, for her leadership in securing federal dollars to address the coffee leaf rust.”

 

Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council Director Suzanne Shriner said, "Many of us depend on our morning cup of coffee to start the day. But for the growers of Hawaii and Puerto Rico, coffee is much more than a drink, it's a part of the culture and a significant economic driver. The recent arrival of the deadly Coffee Leaf Rust fungus has the potential to devastate the industry.  The NIFA grant will fund a consortium of scientists and address the problem on the ground for farmers in both regions. Research will focus on immediate solutions for growers affected by CLR, through field management of the disease. In addition, the grant will fund long-term breeding of trees resistant to CLR, focusing on quality in the cup to meet the high standard of Kona and Hawaiian coffees. In addition, expansion of genomic research will assist the global coffee industry in understanding and combating the fungus. Finally, economic analyses of all activities will help our growers, large and small, determine which solutions are best for their farms. SHAC is looking forward to collaborating with the scientists of USDA, University of Hawaii, Purdue, University of Puerto Rico and Michigan State University. We believe this team is uniquely capable of answering the challenging questions that this disease raises."

 

CLR is a devastating fungus that up until last year was present in every coffee growing region of the world except Hawaii. It was first detected in Hawaii in October 2020 and its presence has since been confirmed on all main Hawaiian Islands. Spread of the fungus is difficult to control and if left untreated can result in more than 70 percent yield loss.

 

Upon learning of detection of CLR in Hawaii last year, Senator Hirono, Senator Schatz, and Rep. Case sent a letterto then-USDA Secretary Perdue alerting him to the situation and requesting swift federal assistance with early detection and rapid response. In addition, the Hawaii delegation introduced the Coffee Plant Health Initiative Amendments Act earlier this year that would expand research funding to address all current and emerging threats to coffee plant health, including CLR.  

 

###

As part of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s ongoing efforts to facilitate the purchase of locally produced food by State institutions, HDOA invites local agricultural producers to share product availability information with HDOA and our and our state-operated institutional partners (i.e. schools, hospitals, prisons). CLICK HERE or use the link below to update information on your current and upcoming stocks of local agricultural products. There is an option to select no change from last response for those who regularly reply to HDOA’s inquiries. If you check this box, your most recent response will be submitted to state agencies, and you may forgo completing the rest of the form (but please do remember to include your contact information and use the button at the bottom to submit your form). As always, feel free to share the link with any local agricultural producers or agricultural organizations who you think might be interested in sharing information. Thank you for your responses!  

HDOA Agricultural Producer Inquiry Form: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/f2sform/

Responses to the inquiry are optional. Use the linked form to provide information to State institutions on available products, upcoming harvests, and any existing surpluses that need to be brought to market quickly. Responses will be sent to food procurement personnel in the Hawaii Department of Education (DOE), the Hawaii Department of Public Safety (PSD), and within the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC) to inform those institutions’ menu and purchase planning decisions.

D. Heath Williams
Special Assistant to the Chairperson
Hawaii Department of Agriculture

Aloha Coffee Farmers, While you're busy with harvest and figuring out how to manage Coffee Leaf Rust, I'd like to update you on our new CLR Subsidy. The program is not set up yet, but will be able to reimburse receipts (at the 50% rate) on the Hawaii Dept of Agriculture list that you purchased from 7/1/2020 - 6/30/2021. If you did not purchase any CLR products during this Reimbursement Period, please apply now to get your BotaniGard and Mycotrol receipts for CBB control reimbursed at the 50% rate. You can start the online application here. Or print the application and email it to HDOA.CBB@hawaii.gov with your receipts. Or call 808-323-7578 to request an application by mail. -Melanie Bondera CBB-CLR Subsidy Program Coordinator

Melanie Bondera
CBB Subsidy Program 
Hawaii Department of Agriculture
Phone: 808-323-7578

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 226
Captain Cook, HI 96704

WASHINGTON, Oct 6, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is rolling out a new insurance option specifically for agricultural producers with small farms who sell locally. The new Micro Farm policy simplifies record keeping and covers post-production costs like washing and value-added products. 

USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) created this new policy based on research directed by the 2018 Farm Bill, and it includes feedback from producers who grow for their local communities. The policy will be available beginning with the 2022 crop year. 

“We are excited to offer this new coverage for producers who work to provide their communities with fresh and healthy food,” said RMA Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy. “USDA is focused on supporting local and regional food systems, and this new crop insurance policy is designed with this important sector of agriculture in mind.” 

The new policy is offered through Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) and it has distinct provisions that can provide more access to the program, including: 

• No expense or individual commodity reporting needed, simplifying the recordkeeping requirements for producers
• Revenue from post-production costs, such as washing and packaging commodities and value-added products, are considered allowable revenue 

The Micro Farm policy is available to producers who have a farm operation that earns an average allowable revenue of $100,000 or less, or for carryover insureds, an average allowable revenue of $125,000 or less. RMA’s research showed that 85% of producers who sell locally reported they made less than $75,000 in gross sales. See the full report. 

The Micro Farm policy builds on other RMA efforts to better serve specialty and organic crop growers. This includes WFRP, which provides coverage for producers with larger operations that may not be eligible for Micro Farm. RMA recently made improvements to WFRP as part of a broader set of new policies and expanded policies to assist specialty crop and organic producers.  

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation approved the Micro Farm policy in late September, and additional details will be provided later this fall. 

More Information 

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov. 

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov. 

You may watch Coffee Crop Insurance Presentations by following this link.