USDA Foreign Agricultural Service:update

The following Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) reports were released on Thursday, July 30, 2020.  Bosnia and Herzegovina: FAIRS Export Certificate Report  Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) requires various certificates for imported food products which must be signed by the designated authorities. However, there are no specific formats that exporters are required to use, except for phytosanitary certificates that must be in accordance with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). Some veterinary certificates require specific statements concerning contagious diseases, hormone use, pathogen reduction methods, etc., set by the State Veterinary Office (SVO). The SVO is responsible for verifying specific requirements for importing live animals and certain products of animal origin, which are in accordance with the World Animal Health Organization/Office International des Epizooties (OIE) recommendations. This report includes an Export Certificate matrix and a detailed outline of the content of each certificate. Sections last updated: January 2020.  Bosnia and Herzegovina: FAIRS Country Report  This report provides information on the food and agricultural product import requirements for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Important points of contact for U.S. food exporters are listed in the appendices. Sections updated in June 2020: Executive Summary and Section X Trade Facilitation. Canada: Biofuels Annual  Canada is developing a Clean Fuel Standard (CFS) to reduce the lifecycle carbon intensity (CI) of fuels and all energy used. Proposed regulations for liquid fuels are expected fall 2020 to come into force by 2022. The objective of the CFS is to lower greenhouse gas emissions by setting carbon emission reduction targets and incentivizing the adoption of lower CI fuels. The CFS in combination with carbon tax schemes, provincial policies encouraging the use of renewable fuels, and various grant programs are expected to drive changes to Canada’s fuel market, its delivery infrastructure, and vehicle fleet. Assuming a level playing field, U.S. and other foreign suppliers of lower cost reduced CI biofuels are expected to see expanded sales opportunities. This report covers federal and provincial regulations affecting renewable fuel markets. Keywords: Canada, Biofuels, Ethanol, Biodiesel, Hydrogenation-Derived Renewable Diesel, HDRD, Renewable Drop-in Diesel Colombia: Biofuels Annual  COVID-19 containment measures and the economic downturn dramatically curtailed Colombian motor fuel demand. Biofuels production and imports are estimated to fall in 2020. Ethanol production is estimated to decrease to 400 million liters as a result of lower gasoline demand and the closure of one ethanol facility not linked to the sugar industry. Biodiesel production is estimated to decrease to 550 million liters due to lower diesel demand and a downward trend in palm oil production. Other factors decreasing ethanol imports are Colombian policies such as a temporary ban on ethanol imports under the sanitary emergency and the imposed duty on ethanol imports from the United States. Colombia neither imports nor exports biodiesel. Nicaragua: FAIRS Export Certificate Report  This report lists Nicaraguan import requirements for export certificates and import permits for agrochemicals, veterinary products, feedstuffs and food products for human consumption. There were no significant changes to export certificates in 2020. Ukraine: FAIRS Export Certificate Report There were two new bilateral certificates negotiated in 2020: certificate for poultry hatching eggs and certificate for day-old chicks. Export Certificate Matrix was expanded to include new official generic certificates for live animals and reproductive materials. In November of 2019 Ukraine adopted import requirements for food products of animal origin and live animals. It also plans to introduce generic sample certificates for products of animal origin that can be endorsed by the exporting country’s authorities without additional negotiations. Ukraine: FAIRS Country Report There have been insignificant changes affecting Ukrainian agricultural product quality, safety, and sanitary regulations since Post’s previous FAIRS Annual Country Report. Ukraine passed a new Animal Feed Safety Law that became effective in January of 2020. Terms for the listing of foreign establishments on Ukraine’s Official List of Approved Countries and Facilities were updated. This new FAIRS Annual now has a section on Trade Facilitation. Additionally, Post added references to the recently submitted FAIRS subject reports on maximum residue levels of certain chemical and biological contaminants.