Labeling
The Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service reports that the government of Mexico has delayed the implementation of the third phase of its front-of-package labeling regulation, which had been scheduled to begin Sept. 30, 2025, but is now set to take effect Jan. 1, 2028. AMS states that this regulation, which impacts prepackaged foods and non-alcoholic beverages, is being implemented in three progressively stricter phases. The first began Oct. 1, 2020, and introduced mandatory front-of-package labels on products that exceed specific thresholds for calories, sodium, sugar, saturated fats, and trans-fats. The second phase, which began Oct. 1, 2023, implemented more restrictive criteria for added sugars, fats, and sodium.
Rice
FAS reports that Panama has declared rice as a national security crop, effectively closing its market to imported rice between June 1 and Dec. 31 and establishing an import licensing system to control imports during the rest of the year. Specialty categories exempted from these restrictions include jasmine, basmati, and parboiled rice.
Poultry
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has announced its intention to reinstate the animal health status of the cantons of Zurich and Jura in Switzerland as free of Newcastle disease. This action would relax restrictions on the importation of carcasses, meat, parts or products of carcasses, and eggs of poultry, game birds, and other birds from these areas.
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