Enforcement Summary:
On February 28, 2022, filing of PGA USDA Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) Marketing Orders (MO) will become mandatory. This means that importers of avocados, grapefruit, kiwifruit, onions, potatoes, table grapes, field-grown tomatoes, pistachios, dates, hazelnuts (filberts), olives, raisins, and walnuts, regulated under Section 8e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 as amended, are required to electronically provide product and load information into the Customs and Border Protection’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system for entry into the United States. A phased in enforcement period has been ongoing since September 2, 2020 and delays the expected implementation date of January 31, 2022.
Marketing Orders & Agreements:
Marketing agreements and orders are initiated by industry to help provide stable markets for dairy products, fruits, vegetables and specialty crops. Each order and agreement is tailored to the individual industry’s needs. Marketing Orders are a binding regulation for the entire industry in the specified geographical area, once it is approved by the producers and the Secretary of Agriculture. Marketing Agreements are only binding for those handlers that sign the agreement.
Fruit, vegetable and specialty crop marketing orders and agreements help producers and handlers work together to solve marketing problems that they cannot solve individually by (1) maintaining the high quality of produce that is on the market; (2) standardizing packages and containers; (3) regulating the flow of product to market; (4) establishing reserve programs for storable commodities; and (5) authorizing production research, marketing research and development, and advertising. View the full regulation for fruit, vegetable and specialty crop marketing orders.
Milk marketing orders help assure dairy farmers a reasonable minimum price for their milk throughout the year, and ensure that consumers have an adequate supply of milk throughout the year without wild fluctuations in price during heavy and light milk production. View the full regulation for milk marketing orders.
Sources: CSMS #50708860, usda.ams.gov