The USDA's Economic Research Service has issued a report on Karnal bunt (KB), a wheat disease of limited distribution in the United States, as affected areas are quarantined to limit spread of the disease. Currently, the KB regulatory program allows the USDA to issue phytosanitary export certificates stating that a wheat shipment is from an area where KB is not known to occur. Some in the wheat marketing chain, particularly elevator operators, find the regulatory program burdensome and advocate ending it. A model developed by the ERS was used to analyze the market effects of ending the certification. An average annual loss of 15.1% in export markets for US wheat producers would be only partially offset by increased use of lower priced wheat for domestic livestock feed.

Canada Waives Portion of Export Certificate Fee

Canada's Governor General in Council has ruled that the collection of certain fees relating to export certificates is unreasonable and unjust. Following the recommendation of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Treasury Board, she has granted remission of the portion of the fee that exceeds $75.00 for the issuance of an export certificate for live animals or embryos during the period beginning on October 1, 2009 and ending on September 30, 2011. (Assuming that an accredited veterinarian provided the inspection services on which the export certificate is based.) Click here for further information.