Transport, Trade and Regulation News

Australia’s food exports reached AU$30.5 billion (about US$32.2 million) in the last financial year, which is the highest value in a decade, according to the Australian Food Statistics Report 2011-12.

The National Association of Manufacturers has expressed disappointment regarding President Obama’s 2014 budget.

President Obama’s 2014 budget calls for a total of $76.6 billion in discretionary and mandatory funding for the Department of Transportation...

The Canadian Shipowners Association has expressed concern regarding a permit published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, saying that it could threaten the commercial viability of...

Only about 25 percent of non-vessel-operating common carriers today are making use of negotiated rate arrangements, an alternative to tariff filing, a survey finds.

World Trade Organization economists today reported that world trade growth dropped to 2.0 percent in 2012, compared with 5.2 percent in 2011, and is expected to remain sluggish in 2013 at about 3.3 percent...

European Union trade officials are asking member governments to approve tougher powers to force companies to cooperate in anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations.

Import volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is predicted to rise 2.7 percent in April compared with the same month last year, as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials brace for the impact of...

The U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will hold a bipartisan roundtable discussion on April 10 regarding the development of a Water Resources Development Act.

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission has named Dave Nichols as director of the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Despite Brazil’s predicted record corn and soybean crop this spring, labor regulations and rain delays have slowed both the harvest and movement to port, as well as loading, according to the U.S. Grains Council.

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, reported exports in February reached $186.0 billion and imports totaled $228.9 billion, resulting in a goods and services deficit of $43.0 billion, down from $44.5 billion in January.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture entomologist has confirmed that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists recorded a first discovery of the Succinea costaricana snail in the Port of Baltimore.

The United Nations’ tourism and crime agencies have plans to launch a joint public awareness campaign this spring with the aim to reduce demand for illegal goods and services that fund transnational organized crime.

The goals set for Canada and the United Arab Emirates’ strategic agenda have been accomplished and will be formalized next month.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has withdrawn approval of the import and sale of up to 74,000 gas-powered on- and off-road motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles from China on the grounds that it may have received...

China’s government has vowed to build 42 transportation hubs by the end of 2015, with at least one in every province, autonomous region and municipality.

The seemingly endless debate over truck driver hours of service stretches back to the 1930s and includes five rulemakings and four final rules issued since 1995. Explore the history of today's 11/14-hour HOS rule.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has developed a program to certify processed eggs and egg products for export, providing new opportunities for U.S. food exporters.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States will participate in U.S. Global Business Solutions, a new interagency initiative to expand the reach of federal export assistance...

In response to the changing local and global economy and to overcome the “middle income trap,” the Thailand Board of Investment is revising its Investment Promotion Privileges and Strategies to promote...

Mexican motor carriers Transportes Mor SA de CV and Adriana De Leon Amaro did not successfully complete the U.S. Pre-Authorization Safety Audit, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Demetrios Marantis, acting U.S. trade representative, has sent three reports to President Obama and Congress detailing noteworthy accomplishments that the current administration has achieved in reducing or removing foreign government barriers to U.S. exports.

NEWPORT, R.I. — Customs and Border Protection hopes a stopgap spending bill will clear the way for the agency to shift enough funds to minimize the impact of furloughs and other budget cuts under the sequestration, a top Customs official said.

NEWPORT, R.I. — "Stagnant" federal funding for transportation will require increased leveraging of state, local and private investment in freight infrastructure, two longtime Washington-based policy watchers say.

Mexico’s Comisión Nacional de Seguridad has plans to launch a new initiative to decrease crime on Mexico’s highways, including cargo crimes.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has halted plans for furloughs and suspended its ban on overtime, The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Ron Kirk, who served as the U.S. Trade Representative in the Obama administration until February 2013, has joined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher as senior of counsel.

The U.S. is exploring the possibility of a trade pact with the Economic Community of West African States to increase bilateral trade and investment, according to Demetrios Marantis, Acting U.S. Trade Representative.

President Obama on March 29 introduced the Rebuild America Partnership, which aims to bring together new and existing policies to encourage private investment in U.S. infrastructure.

Could adding team drivers help recover hours or productivity lost under the new hours-of-service rules? Not necessarily. In fact, the new rules may make teams less productive, according to U.S. Xpress.

When it comes to new hours-of-service rules, it’s not minutes or hours that trucking companies and shippers should be counting, but a driver’s weekly turns.

The Federal Maritime Commission will have a change of leadership on Monday. Chairman Richard A. Lidinsky Jr. submitted his resignation as chairman to President Obama today.

After two consecutive years of prosperity, many Chinese hog producers are anticipating a loss for 2013, driven by higher feed prices in the past year, according to the U.S. Grains Council.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will amend its regulations governing the importation of animals and animal products, effective April 15.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has made available and is requesting comments on a draft compliance guide for U.S. importers and brokers on the electronic filing of import inspection applications...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final vessel general permit regulating discharges from commercial vessels to protect the nation’s waters from ship-borne pollutants and reduce invasive species in U.S. waters.