U.S.A.'s interesting latest news

 

SEC Obtains Emergency Relief to Halt Pre-IPO Stock Fraud Scheme by Unregistered Broker-Dealer 05/16/2022 11:00 AM EDT The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that it obtained asset freezes and other emergency relief against StraightPath Venture Partners LLC, StraightPath Management LLC, Brian K. Martinsen, Michael A. Castillero, Francine A. Lanaia, and…

The SEC’s Division of Examinations announced its 2022 examination priorities, including several
significant areas of focus and many perennial risk areas. Read full announcement. 

The following GAIN reports were released on May 13, 2022. _______   Canada: Canada Consults on Guidance for E-commerce Food Labelling Compliance The Canadian food regulatory authorities opened public consultations on guidance for e-commerce platforms on how to be compliant with relevant food labeling regulatory provisions. Interested stakeholders have until July 8, 2022, to provide comments on this initiative.   China: Update - US Pet Food is Poised to Expand in the China Market Ranked No.1 in both the facility registration by China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) and the feed product registration by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), the United States accounts for 20 percent of Chinese imported pet food market share and is poised to expand. The market trends indicate that China’s demand for imported pet food will continue growing. This report provides a market overview, registration and exporting information, relevant trade shows, and links to helpful reports and resources. *UPDATE: Information regarding retaliatory tariffs for U.S. pet food is clarified on page 2.   Colombia: Update on Colombia Sodium Resolution 2013 of 2020 for Processed Foods On November 9, 2020, Colombia’s Ministry of Health, and Social Protection (MINHEALTH) issued Resolution 2013, a regulation that sets mandatory maximum sodium content limits for 59 processed food product categories. Resolution 2013 introduces a new conformity certificate requirement and reduction goals for sodium content in foods. This report provides updates to technical parameters of the resolution, which were provided during a MINHEALTH-organized webinar on April 22, 2022.   European Union: European Commission Launches Public Consultation on its Upcoming Proposal on Sustainable Food Systems  On April 28, 2022, the European Commission launched a public consultation period for an upcoming proposal for a horizontal framework law to make food systems more sustainable. The Commission is seeking views on different possible ideas such as sustainability labeling or sustainability requirements for food imports. Stakeholders have until July 21, 2022, to comment.   Hong Kong: Pet Owners Sniff Around for Premium Foods In 2021, Hong Kong was the thirteenth largest market for U.S. pet food exports and a hub for pet food trade to the region. Hong Kong pet owners welcome U.S. pet food for its safety and quality. Despite lower exports in 2021, the United States is still the lead supplier, holding a 29 percent share of the Hong Kong pet food market. This share is expected to continue recovering in 2022 as the local economy is expected to recover in the second half of the year as the pandemic situation improves. While Hong Kong’s global pet food imports slowed in 2021, the value of retained (not re-exported) pet food imports grew, signaling good market potential for U.S. exporters. Steady growth of the pet population will also encourage domestic pet food sales which are expected to reach $844 million by 2026.   India: India Notifies Plant Quarantine Second Amendment Order Specific to the Import of US-origin Sweet Cherries  India notified its draft Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) (Second Amendment) Order (2022), to the Sanitary-Phytosanitary (SPS) Committee of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and is inviting comments. The amendment is specific to the import of U.S.-origin cherries and includes additional provisions to facilitate the import of U.S. sweet cherries. The final order, when published, will allow U.S.-origin cherries to be shipped to India under the new protocol. The timeline to comment closes on June 27, 2022.   Japan: Emergency Economic Package to Alleviate Food Price Hikes On April 26, the Japanese Cabinet approved a 6.2 trillion yen ($48 billion) emergency economic package to mitigate the effect of surging energy and food prices on households and small businesses. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will receive 75.1 billion yen ($582 million) to facilitate increased use of domestic grains, wood, and seafood products in favor of imports, diversification of fertilizer input suppliers, and increased feed price support for livestock feeders.   Japan: Tree Nuts Market in Japan This report details the strong demand for U.S. Tree Nut products, driven by the growing health-oriented trends among Japanese consumers. In 2021, fresh and dried nut imports to Japan totaled $491 million, of which 78.2 percent or approximately $384 million was from the United States. The key market sectors for U.S. Tree Nuts are in bakery and retail, valued at $215.1 million. Almonds and walnuts are almost exclusively supplied by the United States.   South Africa: South Africa Attempts to Control Food and Mouth Disease Outbreaks On April 11, the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development announced that the country is battling 56 outbreak cases of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) involving farms and communal areas in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West and Gauteng. According to the DALRRD Animal Health Directorate, the outbreaks currently troubling South Africa were caused by illegal movements of animals out of the FMD controlled zones in Limpopo. Following the loss of the OIE recognized FMD-free status in January 2019, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) negotiated agreements with trading partners on the export of safe commodities, including heat-treated meat and dairy products, deboned and matured beef, scoured wool, salted hides and skins and livestock embryos. Although these agreements allowed for a trade continuation, China and Mozambique have implemented trade restrictions.   Thailand: Rice Price - Weekly Rice export prices increased around 1 percent from the previous week due to strong demand for white and parboiled Thai rice.   For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov/.

Join the United States Dept. of Commerce International Trade Administration business development mission to India The purpose of the mission is to introduce U.S. companies to India’s aerospace ecosystem and assist delegate companies with finding business partners and exporting their products and services to the region. Why You Should Join: Gain market insights, make industry and government contacts, solidify business strategies, and advance specific projects. Learn about Indian market priorities, policy and regulatory changes, projects, and business opportunities, as well as strategies to navigate the business climate in India. Participate in one-on-one business appointments with pre-screened potential buyers, agents, distributors, or joint venture partners in New Delhi and Hyderabad with optional appointments available in Bengaluru and Mumbai. Participate in Networking Receptions. Growth in the Civil Aviation Market and Regional Opportunities India’s civil aviation market, the third largest in the world by passenger numbers after China and the United States, is expected to continue to grow rapidly. By 2035, India’s passenger growth forecast is 442 million, with the aviation industry supporting 19.1 million jobs and contributing $172 billion to its GDP. India is expected to need an additional 2,500 passenger aircraft. India has a 20-year roadmap to develop civil aviation and envisions a five-fold increase in airports in order to handle over one billion trips a year.   Mission Stops: New Delhi Hyderabad Mumbai (optional) Bengaluru (optional) Deadline: August 1, 2022 Cost: $2,800 for SMEs $5,500 for large firms $1,000 for each additional firm representative Optional stops (per stop): $950 for small companies; $2,300 for medium companies; $3,400 for large companies *Expenses for travel, lodging, meals and incidentals will be the responsibility of each mission participant. Apply Now Space is Limited For more detailed information visit: www.trade.gov/aerospace-trade-mission-india Questions contact: Amy Magat Tel: (213) 894-3966 Email: amy.magat@trade.gov Oscar Magaña Tel: (210) 419-3043 Email: oscar.magana@trade.gov

Honor LGBTQ+ Elders Day – Pass it on. By Ari Lazarus Today is National Honor Our LGBTQ+ Elders Day. There are many ways to celebrate this important occasion, but here at the FTC, we’re focusing on helping LGBTQ+ elders avoid frauds and scams — and we hope you can pitch in too.