USDBC SUPPORTS INITIATIVE TO EASE US PORT DISRUPTIONS

 USDBC is supporting proposed legislation under the Protecting Orderly and Responsible Transit of Shipments (PORTS) Act of 2015.  The bill would allow state governors to intervene in labor disputes at seaports and stop disruptions such as the West Coast ports dispute that brought shipping traffic to a standstill and took a toll on the economy.

 According to the recent letter in support of this bill signed by USDBC, "International trade via seaports accounts for more than a third of U.S. GDP; that value is expected to increase to 60 percent by 2030.  Seaports currently support 13 million domestic jobs.  The number of trade-supported jobs has doubled over the past 20 years and is still growing faster than total employment." Disputes at ports disrupt trade and hurt the economy through port delays, higher costs, and lost business for various industries.  It is estimated that the recent West Coast port dispute cost the country $1 billion per day in lost economic activity and in some cases, many industries are still recovering from the lost activity.  Many agriculture businesses lost export opportunities and overseas customers due to shipping delays. 

CALIFORNIA DRY BEAN ADVISORY BOARD ADDRESSES GRADING CONCERNS

 The California Dry Bean Advisory Board (CDBAB) has been working together with the California Bean Shippers Association to investigate recent blackeye grading changes resulting in an increase of samples failing to make the grade. After consultations with USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) it was determined that GIPSA set the inspection guidelines for "insect webbing and filth" at standards that were almost impossible for warehouses to meet. This has created complications and difficulties in marketing California blackeyes.  According to the CDBAB, buyers looking for number one grade are having trouble filing their orders "and may be forced to look outside of the U.S. where standards may not be as strict."

CDBAB and California Bean Shippers Association met with GIPSA to gain a better understanding of the inspection process and discuss replacing the current grading standard with a more universal standard allowing for higher thresholds.  During this meeting, GIPSA suggested utilizing the CODEX standard for "extraneous matter" which is based on a percentage of weighted measurement and the not number of beans per 1,000 count that show "webbing and filth."   These discussions will continue and if there is agreement to change the inspection standard, the new rule will be circulated for public commentary.  While this is a small change, the U.S. dry bean industry believes it would be a more effective measure that would allow more blackeyes to make the grade while still enforcing high phytosanitary standards.   We look forward to continued collaboration with GIPSA to resolve this matter.