Trans American

AMS has announced the 2017 rates that will be charged for voluntary grading, inspection, certification, auditing and laboratory services for a variety of agricultural commodities including meat and poultry, fruits and vegetables, eggs, dairy products, and cotton and tobacco. The 2017 regular, overtime, holiday, and laboratory services rates will be applied at the beginning of… Read more : Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Sets Fee for 2017

The Canadian government is soliciting the views of the Canadian public and interested Canadian stakeholders to help define the priorities in a possible free trade agreement with MECROSUR (also known as the Southern Cone Common Market, it is a customs union established by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay in 1991). In 2016, the four members… Read more : Canada Consults on Possible Canada-MERCOSUR Free Trade Agreement

If the issue of chassis availability could be resolved it would have a major impact on the speed of the flow of goods through U.S. ports and could eliminate related additional charges for beneficial cargo owners. Currently the major chassis leasing companies, academics and technology providers are working together to form a solution to improve… Read more : Chassis Availability Efforts

On May 11, a letter signed by 14 House lawmakers was sent to newly confirmed U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, urging him to remove NAFTA drawback and duty referral restrictions during any renegotiation of the NAFTA agreement. The lawmakers wrote that the current restrictions increase production costs and weaken U.S. manufacturing and worker competiveness, and… Read more : Push made to Remove NAFTA Drawback and Duty Deferral Restrictions in Renegotiations

In an April 26 call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, U.S. President Donald Trump agreed not to terminate NATA at this time, with the three leaders agreeing to proceed swiftly, according to their required internal procedures, to enable the renegotiation of the NAFTA deal to the benefit of… Read more : U.S. Pursuing NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) Renegotiation

Operations at Shanghai’s Yangshan terminals are expected to be back to normal by mid-May after a month of delays caused by congestion and a number of other factors. Vessel departures have been delayed for about two days on average.  Additionally, there was a container shortage and terminals have been changing container free time causing confusion… Read more : Conditions in Shanghai

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) signed an arrangement with the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources recognizing each other’s food safety systems as comparable to each other. For FSVP (Food Safety Verification Programs) purposes, the agreement means importers of food from Australia that are covered under the agreement are exempt from most… Read more : FDA Recognizes Australia as Having a Comparable Food Safety System to the U.S.

Legislation that would allow higher truck weight limits in Texas for certain commodities, including synthetic resin, is close to becoming a reality.   The law would enable companies to purchase a $5,000 annual permit allowing heavier container loads within 30 miles of a port or international bridge.  The permits would bring the weight limit to 93,000… Read more : Texas Weight Limits