Regulations & Requirements

In addition to helping U.S. exporters navigate an array of regulations governing trade in food and agricultural products, FAS works to ensure that those regulations are predictable, transparent, and science-based.

FAIRS Reports

FAS's international offices publish Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) reports and exporter guides for the countries they cover. Copies of these reports can be found on the individual country pages of the FAS website as well as by searching the Global Agriculture Information Network (GAIN) database.

Regulatory Changes by WTO Members

The governments of World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries notify the WTO about changes in their domestic regulations that could impact international trade in food and agricultural products. Under WTO rules, other WTO member countries have the opportunity to evaluate these regulatory changes to determine whether they might pose sanitary/phytosanitary (SPS) concerns or technical barriers to trade (TBT). FAS maintains an online system to inform the U.S. agricultural industry regarding changes in international food and agriculture regulations that could affect U.S. exports.

Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) Database

FAS provides access to a database that lists maximum acceptable levels of pesticides and veterinary drugs in food and agricultural products in the United States, as well as 70 other countries, the European Union, and the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

Regulatory Information from Other Agencies

Additional information about regulations and requirements governing agricultural exports and imports is available from other USDA agencies and state departments of agriculture. 

  • Individual state's agriculture departments provide points of contact who issue export certification documents such as Certificates of Free Sale.

Resources

Track Regulatory Changes by WTO Members

Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) Database

Data and Analysis

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Attaché Report (GAIN)

United Kingdom: Certain Voluntary Tariff Suspensions Extended to June 2026

On October 30, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) extended over 220 voluntary tariff suspensions announced following the 2021 and 2023 application periods, through June 30, 2026. The announcement synchronizes multiple expiration periods across different suspension applications.
Attaché Report (GAIN)

China: National Food Safety Standard for Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Food Amendment No 2 Notified to WTO

On October 18, 2024, China notified National Food Safety Standard for Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Food Amendment No. 2 to the World Trade Organization (WTO) under G/SPS/N/CHN/1321.
Attaché Report (GAIN)

Canada: Canada Consults on Risk Mitigation Options for US Packaged Honey Bees

On November 7, 2024, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) opened a consultation on risk mitigation options for U.S. packaged honey bees as part of their process for updating the risk analysis for importation of U.S. packages.

News and Features

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Feature

Ginning up a Market for U.S. Cotton in Bangladesh

For almost 50 years, Bangladesh required U.S. cotton be fumigated because of concerns about the boll weevil. Collaboration between USDA agencies and the Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture resulted in amended import requirements, exempting the United States from the list of countries required to fumigate cotton upon arrival.
Feature

Helping Reduce Methane Emissions by Solving a Sticky Problem for U.S. Produce Exporters

With research and development funds provided by the FAS Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program, FAS and ARS are working to produce compostable PLU labels. They are collaborating with the International Fresh Produce Association and Sinclair Systems International to meet the EU standards. The goal is to develop adhesives that are both food-safe and compostable. When achieved, this will allow American companies to export fruits and vegetables as usual while helping to decrease food waste and methane emissions.
News Release

USTR and USDA Release Report on Agricultural Trade between the United States and China

Washington, DC – The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today issued a report highlighting the progress made to date in implementing the agricultural provisions in the U.S.-China Phase One...