June 2009       

H O M E 

Governor Doyle presents M.E. Dey & Co. with 2009 Export Award

L to R: Randy Kupfer - Export Vice President,
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle,
Carrie Fix - International Trade Development,
Leann Boyea - Export Manager.

M.E. Dey & Co, has proudly received the State of Wisconsin’s Governor’s Export Assistance Provider Plus Award.  The award was presented by the Governor at this year’s MWTA International Trade Conference on May 12, 2009.  M.E. Dey was recognized as a leader in export forwarding services, U.S. Customs Compliance practices and Customs Brokerage.  Our approach to partnering with our clients to offer one-on-one counseling and education to assist with corporate growth through  trade was acknowledged as a key supportive role for Wisconsin-area businesses.

This is the third occasion M.E. Dey & Co. has been recipient of the Governor’s Export Award.  Previous recognition was received in 1995 and 2000.

Click here for more photos from the 45th Annual
Wisconsin International Trade Conference

CBP/SECURITY

CBP Interception of the Month

CBP Intercepts Cobra in Wine Bottle
Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Miami - Yesterday U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting routine examinations discovered a cobra and other poisonous snakes that were inside a glass bottle containing some form of alcohol. more...

CBP Issues Implementation Guidance for FDA’s Final Rule On Prior Notice for Food Imports, Which Took Effect May 6, 2009

Obama seeks $55 billion for DHS in 2010
08 May 2009, CSCB

The Obama administration on Thursday said it is seeking $55 billion to fund the activities of the Department of Homeland Security during fiscal year 2010, up $2.5 billion from the amount appropriated by Congress for the current year. more...


Travel Documents Effective June 1, 2009
ARE YOU READY?

May 14, 2009

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires U.S. and Canadian travelers to present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship when entering the U.S. It is a result of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA). more...

IMPORT/EXPORT

2009 Handbook of Export and Import Commodity Codes
14 May 2009, CSCB

The 2009 Handbook of Export and Import Commodity Codes has been posted on the DFAIT website at: http://www.international.gc.ca/controls-controles/report-rapports/list_liste/handbook-manuel/index.aspx?lang=eng.

What information must be included in the prior notice for food imports?

The prior notice must be submitted electronically to the FDA and contain the following information: more...


U.S. Makes Allocations for Dairy Export Incentive Program, Other Countries Object

Lacey Act Import Declaration Now Required for Certain Wood Products
Monday, May 4, 2009

The first phase of enforcement of the new Lacey Act import declaration requirement for plants and plant products went into effect May 1. Subsequent phases are scheduled to be rolled out every six months. U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently posted to its Web site guidance on complying with this requirement. more...


  United States Department of Agriculture     Canadian Food Inspection Agency

 Asian Gypsy Moth Alerts


Wisconsin Export Highlights 2008 .pdf


USDA Proposes Rule to Implement Assessment on Dairy Imports
Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service is seeking comments by June 18 on proposed amendments to the Dairy Promotion and Research Order that would implement an assessment on imported dairy products. The 2002 Farm Bill requires the imposition of such an assessment to fund promotion and research, while the 2008 Farm Bill specifies a mandatory import assessment rate of 7.5 cents per hundredweight of milk or equivalent thereof.

According to AMS, the assessments on imported dairy products would be collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection from importers at the time the entry summary documents are filed. If the importer has adequate documentation concerning the milk solids content of the imported dairy product, the assessment would be based on that; otherwise, a default assessment rate for each HTSUS number would be applied. The assessments collected would be transferred to the Dairy Board to fund the national dairy promotion and research program. The Dairy Board would establish a compliance program and procedures to verify, as necessary, that correct assessments have been paid by importers. 
Copyright © 2009 WorldTrade Interactive, Inc.


USDA Bans Imports of Plants that Host Tomato Viruses
Monday, May 18, 2009

The Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a federal order that, effective June 1, will prohibit the importation from all countries except Canada of specific plants used for planting (not including seed) that are hosts of tomato torrado virus and tomato severe leaf curl virus. APHIS states that this action is necessary because the introduction and establishment of these viruses pose a serious plant pest threat to U.S. agriculture. The ban will remain in effect until a pest risk analysis has been completed and appropriate effective mitigation measures have been established.  Copyright © 2009 WorldTrade Interactive, Inc.


EPA Fines Company for Improper Imports of Pesticides
Monday, May 18, 2009

The Environmental Protection Agency announced May 14 that a company has agreed to pay $21,840 to settle charges that it imported pesticides without filing notices of arrival as required under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.

Companies must submit detailed information on the NOA form to allow the EPA to determine if the pesticide is approved for use in the U.S. or meets one of the few allowable exemptions. Products not registered with the EPA for use in the U.S. are denied entry and destroyed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or immediately exported back to their country of origin under CBP supervision.

The EPA will not approve pesticide imports unless the product being imported has been tested to show that it will not pose an unreasonable risk when used according to directions. The agency also makes sure that pesticide labels provide consumers with necessary information to use the products safely. Pesticides that have been registered will have an EPA registration number on the label. 
Copyright © 2009 WorldTrade Interactive, Inc.

If you are importing goods subject to EPA reporting, be sure you are up to date on current requirements. Contact M.E. Dey's Import Division for additional information.

SHIPPING/TRANSPORTATION

US Retail container volumes to remain weak
08 May 2009, CSCB

Import cargo volume at the US major retail container ports improved in March over February’s seven-year low, but was still at its lowest level in five years and remained below the 1 million mark, according to the monthly Port Tracker report released Thursday by the National Retail Federation and IHS Global Insight. more...


EU set to extend anti-piracy coverage

THE EU is set to extend its anti-piracy operations off Somalia to extend out into the Indian Ocean as far as the Seychelles and is also likely to keep its forces in the area into next year at least. more...


Shippers “should challenge bill of lading terms”

SHIPPERS can challenge the terms of bills of lading issued by carriers, Chris Welsh, General Manager of Policy Campaigns, Freight Transport Association told delegates to the latest Shippers’ Voice seminars. more...

WORLD TRADE

Ballast Water Discharge Proposal to Negatively Impact Wisconsin Trade

M.E. Dey & Co., has supported The Mayor of Milwaukee, Tom Barrett and signed his letter to the Joint Budget Committee regarding ballast water discharge. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has proposed vessel permit rules that will seriously deter, if not eliminate any ability for ocean ships to call at any Wisconsin port. We urge you to support this fight against the DNR’s proposed legislation which will dramatically impact trade at the Port of Milwaukee and your access to cargo vessel transport. 

Click to see letter (Word doc) or contact our office to learn more about this important local issue.

U.S., EU Sign Agreement on Beef Trade
Friday, May 15, 2009

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced May 13 that the U.S. and the European Union have signed a memorandum of understanding to implement their recent agreement in principle on U.S. beef exports to the EU. Under this agreement, beginning no later than Aug. 3 the EU will provide for three years duty-free treatment for up to 20,000 tons of high-quality U.S. beef (which is specifically defined in the MOU, attached) produced from cattle that have not been treated with growth-promoting hormones. In return, the U.S. will maintain the additional import duties that have been in effect since March 23 on a reduced list of EU products and will not impose the new duties that were announced in January (i.e., the USTR will take steps to further delay the new duties past the Aug. 15 deadline announced earlier this week). In the fourth year the EU quota will increase to 45,000 tons and the U.S. will suspend all additional import duties imposed on EU products. The two sides will then decide whether to continue this arrangement following negotiations on several issues, including how long it should remain in effect, the consequences of noncompliance with the MOU and the status of related litigation at the World Trade Organization. Copyright © 2009 WorldTrade Interactive, Inc.


Trade Deficit Sees Small Increase as Exports Fall Faster than Imports
Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The U.S. goods and services trade deficit rose for only the second time in the last seven months in March, up $1.5 billion to $27.6 billion. Exports dropped again after a brief recovery in February, falling $3.0 billion to $123.6 billion. The decline in imports slowed from its recent pace with a $1.6 billion drop to $151.2 billion. Year-on-year the goods and services trade deficit was down $29.8 billion, with imports (down $55.9 billion) falling twice as fast as exports (down $26.0 billion).

On a country-by-country basis, the U.S. trade deficit with China edged up from $14.2 billion to $15.6 billion. The deficit with Canada fell by more than 50%, to $0.8 billion, while deficits increased with respect to the European Union ($4.4 billion), Mexico ($3.9 billion), Japan ($2.6 billion), Korea ($1.2 billion) and Nigeria ($0.9 billion). The U.S. continued to maintain trade surpluses with Hong Kong ($1.5 billion), Australia ($1.1 billion), Singapore ($0.5 billion), and Egypt ($0.3 billion). 
Copyright © 2009 WorldTrade Interactive, Inc.


USTR Highlights Pending FTAs, Doha Round, Engagement with Asia
Thursday, May 21, 2009

In a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce earlier this week, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk indicated that the Obama administration is moving forward on a number of trade policy efforts of interest to the business community. He emphasized the importance of trade to the nation’s economic well-being and called on participants on both sides of the trade policy debate to work together to generate new opportunities. more...

Earth Calendar - Nifty Website for Internationalists

You really need to know the local culture wherever you’re doing business. This is hard for people involved in international trade. Travel is sufficiently problematic without having to worry about local customs and holidays. Fortunately, one non-profit group has made it easier by creating the Earth Calendar, which recognizes cultural events from around the world. The calendar is free and online.

www.earthcalendar.net/index.php

U.S., Angola Sign Trade and
Investment Pact


Legislative Update: Expanded Trade Preferences Possible, Export Controls Reform Moves Ahead

USTR Wants Input on WTO Case on Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling


Surveys Find Support for Trade on the Rise Despite Economic Downturn

ASIA 

China's Exports Sink 22.6 Percent in April


China Signs Deals worth US$10 Billion with U.S. Companies


Chinese Baby Furniture Company to Pay $40,000 for Smuggling Protected Wood
Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The Department of Justice announced May 1 that a manufacturer of wooden baby furniture located primarily in China has agreed to pay a $40,000 fine and serve three years of probation to settle charges that it smuggled into the U.S. cribs containing an internationally protected tropical hardwood known as ramin. The corporation must also pay for an advertisement in a publication in China, and a second in a publication in the U.S., advising other members of the industry of its actions and their consequences.

According to the DOJ, ramin is found in tropical forests in parts of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and Malaysia, that serve as habitat for endangered orangutan. Indonesia has one of the highest rates of deforestation of any county, much of it due to illegal timber harvest. The country’s government has taken a number of measures in response, including listing ramin in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora since Jan. 12, 2005. As a result, a valid export permit from the country of origin, and a valid re-export certificate from any country of re-export, must be obtained prior to importing ramin into the U.S.  
Copyright © 2009 WorldTrade Interactive, Inc.

EVENTS/SEMINARS

http://www.icewi.org/

JULY 15, 2009 - LaSure's Banquet Hall, Oshkosh: LATIN AMERICA and all it's splendor will be covered, pretty much from A-Z. We'll have fun during roundtable discussion where members can contribute their experiences in exporting there as well as other regions and topics. Yes, we'll include a round of 9 holes at the local Golf Course.

ICE is administered by Wisconsin Credit Association


Focused Trade Missions for Specialty Food are scheduled to visit
Tokyo, Japan, October19-21 and Seoul, Korea, October 21-23.

Businesses can participate in one or both Specialty Food Trade Missions to see the market firsthand.

  • pre-show competitor analysis,

  • targeted invitations to qualified buyers for one-on-one meetings,

  • technical (food industry) interpreters,

  • chef demonstration using participating companies’ products,

  • in-market briefing,

  • local retail tours, and

  • assistance with qualifying leads from the show.

For more information, contact Ms. Lisa Stout, Agricultural Marketing Consultant at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, lisa.stout@wisconsin.gov, (608) 224-5126.


Groundbreaking Mission to Libya and Algeria
November 4–8, 2009

Increasingly market-driven economies, vast capital reserves, and ambitious infrastructure projects make Libya and Algeria promising markets for U.S. exporters. The U.S. Department of Commerce's first executive trade mission to Tripoli, Libya and Algiers, Algeria will promote U.S. products and technologies in "best prospects" sectors, including, but not limited to, energy, environmental protection, information technology, infrastructure, and safety and security.  The application deadline is August 1, 2009.  For more information, contact Lisa Huot at (202) 482-2796, northafricamission@mail.doc.gov.


MWTA Wine Tasting and Social Event

Thursday, June 18 2009, 5:30pm - 9:00pm

MSOE’s Grohmann Museum   1000 N. Broadway, Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee World Trade Association is having their annual wine tasting and social. The cost of this event is  $30 after June 4, with a registration deadline of June 11. This event is one of MWTA’s most popular events and provides a great opportunity to network. You are encouraged to bring a guest. Event details and a registration information at www.mwta.com. Contact: Jeanette Mikulski 414-287-4141 jmikulski@mmac.org

 Download one-page flyer and registration form.


MWTA GOLF OUTING

Wednesday, July 29, 2009   12:30 PM START TIME

Co-sponsored with TAMI at Ironwood Country Club near Sussex, WI
Go to www.mwta.com for registration details.

click for full newsletter

 

The DeyTimes Newsletter is an online international trade information service, published electronically by M.E. Dey & Co., Inc. (publisher) The publisher has taken all reasonable steps to verify the accuracy of the content of this site. The publisher does not and will not at any time accept any responsibility or otherwise be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever that you may suffer as a result information contained in this newsletter. Links are provided for your convenience only. Accessing links to third party Web sites and use of or reliance upon third party material is solely at your own risk.

NOTE: Information contained herein is of necessity a summary of complicated and fact-specific issues. It is not intended to convey legal advice, and receipt of it does not constitute or create an attorney-client relationship. Before you act on any information provided in this document, you should seek professional advice regarding its applicability to your specific circumstances.

Copyright © 2009 M.E. Dey & Co. Inc. - All Rights Reserved