The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Core Message Team is sending notices to customs brokers who submit incomplete or incorrect data for licenses, permits, certificates, and other documents (LPCOs) in lines PG13 and PG14 of the APHIS Core Message Set. Federal inspectors rely on this data to inspect and clear commodity shipments entering the U.S. Incorrect or missing data slows cargo clearance. APHIS is working to raise awareness of the incorrect data and improve compliance.

NCBFAA has invited Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Chris Magnus to be our keynote luncheon speaker during the 2022 Government Affairs Conference (GAC) at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill Sept. 18-20.

NCBFAA is asking all members to send us your questions, experiences, and concerns with the recently implemented Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA 22). Your name and companies will remain confidential during the compilation of this essential feedback. In the interim, we will soon begin sharing the answers to these questions on a rolling basis in the Monday Morning eBriefing. Send your questions and other input to NCBFAA Executive Vice President Megan Montgomery as soon as possible by email at mmontgomery@ncbfaa.org.

As an advocate for the entire industry, NCBFAA provides two key resource documents for shippers and freight forwarders that are available to members and non-members alike. NCBFAA’s Shipper’s Letter of Instruction (SLI) Model and the USPPI Responsibility Sheet simplify the reporting process for both shippers and forwarders and help them explain regulations to key partners and industry representatives.

NCBFAA knows that you as our members are doing their best to keep up with their day-to-day businesses under dire supply chain circumstances, and now add on top of all that the recent flurry of U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. What do these sanctions mean to your business (our industry)? Well, it can be an awful lot, depending on whether you work with customers that had export or import business with Russia prior to invasion.

The NCBFAA Air Freight Subcommittee’s iSAC (Internal Screening Advisory Council) has created a suggested operations guidelines/checklist for handling ITS cargo.

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have continued to postpone their “Container Dwell Fee,” and said they will reconsider its possible imposition on July 22.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) unveiled a new database called Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements (ACIR). The new tool will provide the trade with a simple search interface for identifying import requirements for agricultural commodities.

As we approach the end of the 117th Congress and the upcoming November elections, NCBFAA will be outlining our core issues and what you need to know about the current political landscape in Washington, D.C. during an Aug. 12 webinar from 2-3 p.m. ET.

Here is a summary of the latest legislative and regulatory transport, logistics and trade sector updates brought to you by our NCBFAA Transportation Counsel firm Venable:

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., have highlighted for our customs broker members the details of the U.S. Russian oil tariff for India and the Aug. 7 implementation of the reciprocal tariffs against a range of country imports, as well as noted the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) related guidance to these tariff actions. In addition, the Committee provided guidance regarding the European Union HTS application of 9903.02.19/9903.02.20.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on July 25 announced that a new treatment recommendation, Shredder-Hammermill, has been added to the list of available treatments in their Treatment Manual to provide an emergency phytosanitary destruction method for dunnage, pallets, wood packaging material (WPM) and other non-compliant wood products.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it will begin making flagging updates to the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) codes related to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reflect the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) bi-annual 484(f) changes to the HTS.

In July, NCBFAA reported that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would soon end paper submissions of the Lacey declaration. Now, it is official — APHIS said on Aug. 8 that paper submissions end, starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to extend the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule by 30 months — to July 2028. The agency said it remains committed to successful implementation of the full requirements of the final rule, which establishes additional traceability recordkeeping requirements, beyond what is already required in existing regulations, for persons who manufacture, import, process, pack, or hold foods found on the Food Traceability List.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., have highlighted for our customs broker members the details of the U.S. Russian oil tariff for India and the Aug. 7 implementation of the reciprocal tariffs against a range of country imports, as well as noted the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) related guidance to these tariff actions. In addition, the Committee provided guidance regarding the European Union HTS application of 9903.02.19/9903.02.20.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on July 25 announced that a new treatment recommendation, Shredder-Hammermill, has been added to the list of available treatments in their Treatment Manual to provide an emergency phytosanitary destruction method for dunnage, pallets, wood packaging material (WPM) and other non-compliant wood products.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it will begin making flagging updates to the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) codes related to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reflect the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) bi-annual 484(f) changes to the HTS.

In July, NCBFAA reported that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would soon end paper submissions of the Lacey declaration. Now, it is official — APHIS said on Aug. 8 that paper submissions end, starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to extend the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule by 30 months — to July 2028. The agency said it remains committed to successful implementation of the full requirements of the final rule, which establishes additional traceability recordkeeping requirements, beyond what is already required in existing regulations, for persons who manufacture, import, process, pack, or hold foods found on the Food Traceability List.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., have highlighted for our customs broker members the details of the U.S. Russian oil tariff for India and the Aug. 7 implementation of the reciprocal tariffs against a range of country imports, as well as noted the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) related guidance to these tariff actions. In addition, the Committee provided guidance regarding the European Union HTS application of 9903.02.19/9903.02.20.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on July 25 announced that a new treatment recommendation, Shredder-Hammermill, has been added to the list of available treatments in their Treatment Manual to provide an emergency phytosanitary destruction method for dunnage, pallets, wood packaging material (WPM) and other non-compliant wood products.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it will begin making flagging updates to the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) codes related to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reflect the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) bi-annual 484(f) changes to the HTS.

In July, NCBFAA reported that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would soon end paper submissions of the Lacey declaration. Now, it is official — APHIS said on Aug. 8 that paper submissions end, starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to extend the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule by 30 months — to July 2028. The agency said it remains committed to successful implementation of the full requirements of the final rule, which establishes additional traceability recordkeeping requirements, beyond what is already required in existing regulations, for persons who manufacture, import, process, pack, or hold foods found on the Food Traceability List.