The U.S. Trade Representative’s annual report on intellectual property protections, out today, includes concerns about the European Union’s “aggressive promotion” of geographical indications for food products.
“The United States continues its intensive engagement in promoting and protecting access to foreign markets for U.S. exporters of products that are identified by common names or otherwise marketed under previously registered trademarks,” USTR says. Protected GIs include products such as Feta cheese and Parma ham.
The agency says it’s concerned the EU will eventually extend GIs to non-agricultural products such as “apparel, ceramics, glass, handicrafts, manufactured goods, minerals, salts, stones, and textiles.”
EU advances plastic packaging regulations
The European Parliament approved regulations Wednesday to address rising amounts of packaging waste by cutting out some single-use plastics in food packaging.
U.S. produce industry groups have criticized the rules and similar proposed regulations in Canada. They say it would be virtually impossible to export some foods, and the transition away from plastic packaging without greater research could introduce food safety risks.
Max Teplitski, chair of the Alliance for Sustainable Packaging for Foods and chief science officer at the International Fresh Produce Association, said “minimizing waste and finding alternatives to single-use plastic packaging is a goal we can all get behind. But without viable alternatives, bans on plastic and compostable packaging threaten food safety, undermine food quality, and increase food waste – all factors that are equally important to consumers and the environment.”
The regulations were approved 476-129 with 24 abstentions.
Each European produces about 420 pounds of packaging waste annually. The amount of packaging waste in Europe is also outpacing recycling capacity, and is expected to rise by 25% in 2030, according to an EU official.
The bottom line: The law sets packaging reduction targets of 5% by 2030 and 15% by 2040. It also sets recycled content minimums for different plastic packaging products and expands existing single-use packaging bans to include plastic packaging for many fruits and vegetables.
The European Council still needs to formally approve the law before it can take effect.
Guidance coming today on cow testing order
The milk industry continues to applaud the federal government’s response to the presence of avian flu in dairy cows, which now includes an order requiring tests on lactating dairy cows scheduled for interstate transport.
Guidance on the order is due out today.
“The presence of this virus in dairy herds, as well as dairy farmers’ own commitment to animal and human health, makes USDA’s actions on testing and interstate travel appropriate,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.
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The action came as some infectious disease experts criticized the agency for not providing information on the evolving situation quickly enough. Some of those experts met with USDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff Wednesday morning, the day after FDA had announced the presence of “viral particles” in samples of milk from grocery stores.
“At least they reached out with something and answered several key questions,” said one of them, Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute.
On the testing order, Amy Swinford, director of the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, said she’s confident the National Animal Health Laboratory Network “as a whole has adequate capacity to meet the testing requirements for moving these cattle.”
Hunger grew in 2023 amid Gaza, Sudan crises
Nearly 282 million people around the world suffered acute hunger last year, an increase of 24 million from 2022, according to the latest Global Report on Food Crises from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
The conflicts in Gaza and in Sudan were major drivers of the increase. The report covered 59 countries and territories that are experiencing food crises.
Take note: More than 36 million children under the age of 5 were acutely malnourished across 32 countries.
What about 2024? El Niño has peaked for this year, but “its full impact on food crises – including flooding and drought in parts of eastern Africa, and drought in southern Africa – are likely to manifest throughout the year,” the report says. The impacts aren’t all bad. East Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean region should see better harvests.
Nebraska tees up SAF incentive
Nebraska is joining the growing number of states enacting special tax credits for sustainable aviation fuel. Nebraska’s credit will be worth 75 cents a gallon under a bill signed Wednesday by Gov. Jim Pillen.
Why it matters: Industry officials say it will take a combination of federal and state incentives to make SAF work economically for airlines.
Take note: The Biden administration is expected to release any day now the updated GREET model for measuring the carbon intensity of SAF feedstocks. The model will incorporate the impact of some climate-smart farming practices.
Taylor talks ethanol with Indian officials on trade mission
Alexis Taylor, USDA's undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, this week spoke to Indian officials about their nation’s ban on imports of ethanol for fuel use, while on a trade mission to the nation.
India allows ethanol to be imported for industrial use, but not for fuel purposes. Taylor said she sees future opportunities to expand ethanol exports, however, based on its commitment to making E20 available by 2025.
She added that there may even be opportunities to provide India with the feedstocks required to support its own ethanol production, which would also give them access to byproduct that could be used in livestock feeds.
She said it. “I think there’s an opportunity to really benefit consumers and producers here that is also supportive of our expanded U.S. export interests.” – Alexis Taylor on the Indian market.
Rebekah Alvey, Steve Davies and Noah Wicks contributed to this report.
