Every time a new program goes out the door, coming back to it and insuring that all companies are in compliance is tricky at best. Just ask any CFO you know if they are in full compliance with Sarbanes Oxley. But I digress.

As you may recall all import products from abroad now require Importer Security Filing (ISF) which is also known as 10+2 because 10  data elements are required from U.S. importers and 2  data set items are required from carriers. These 12 items were required beginning in January of 2009 requiring importers and vessel operating ocean carriers are required to provide U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP with advance notification for all ocean vessel shipments inbound to the United States.

Behind The Importer Security Filing Program (ISF) or 10+2 is an attempt at helping to prevent terrorist weapons from being transported to the United States and to improve Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ability to identify high-risk shipments so as to prevent smuggling and ensure cargo safety and security.

The following are the 10 data elements are required from the Importer:

1. Manufacturer (or supplier) name and address
2. Seller (or owner) name and address
3. Buyer (or owner) name and address
4. Ship-to name and address
5. Container stuffing location
6. Consolidator (stuffer) name and address
7. Importer of record number/foreign trade zone applicant identification number
8. Consignee number(s)
9. Country of origin
10. Commodity Harmonized Tariff Schedule number

From the carrier, 2 data elements are required:

1. Vessel stow plan
2. Container status messages

Ask your solutions provider if they have this information available to assist you in you off shoring plans.

So why the heck do retailers keep buying and manufacturers keep making products like holiday lighting that can make so many sick. According to ecology center HealthyStuff.org found that over 50% of holiday lighting tested in the U.S. has excessive levels of lead. An excuse me the answer to every issue we have in product safety is not to wash your hands once you have touched something.

According to Wikipedia, Lead poisoning (also known as plumbism, colica Pictonum, saturnism, Devon colic, or painter’s colic) is a medical condition caused by increased levels of the heavy metal lead in the body. Lead interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues including the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive and nervous systems.

Buyers; this is a simple issue. One question determines whether or not you buy these products. Do the holiday lights you are selling us contain lead?  An answer of yes or I don’t know means that vendor does not get the business. An answer of absolutely not gets that vendor all of the business and also creates a great advertising opportunity for you.

According to HealthyStuff.org their tests showed that 4 out of 5 light sets contained detectable lead and that 28% contained lead at levels which make the product illegal to sell in Europe (greater than 1,000 parts per million.

Apparently the EU is ahead of the U.S. Maybe the new food safety bill needs to be expanded to include products beyond food. Check out the test results.

SafeSourcing would not let this happen if we were your e-procurement solutions provider.

We look forward to and appreciate your comments.

I could not believe what I was reading this morning in the Arizona Republic the little side bar was titled Flame-retardant chemicals found in package of butter. The chemicals are polybrominated diphenyl ethers which are commonly found in electronic devices, fabrics and insulation. This all happened at a Dallas grocery store

I think I have it figure out though. The southwest is noted for its wonderful spicy dishes based on all sorts of peppers. So I guess the manufacturer thought that since butter is the basis of all great food that people in the southwest would appreciate having their stomachs insulated and all of us that love this food already know why we need the fire retardant.

It will be interesting to find out when the product is traced to its source how this happened. Thank goodness we have a new food safety bill. Although sometimes the legislation we get from our existing government gives this author heartburn.

Support product traceability from the farm to the plate.

We look forward to and appreciate your comments.

Maybe we all need to be nine feet tall and have three eyes and four ears in order for the government to get up to speed and take food safety more seriously, or execute more effectively.

I was reading a local news paper on Sunday and found an article titled Study: ‘Quantifiable levels of Bisphenol A found in food by Ervin Brown of the Los Angeles Times. The article went on to say that last week a study was announced that was conducted by a research team that measured 105 foods from grocery stores in the Dallas area. In this research they detected quantifiable levels of BPA in sixty three of them. The products named were those of major brands.

Today I was browsing the internet and came across an item titled Eggs in Texas recalled after salmonella found at Ohio farm by Associated Press and www.khou.com. Didn’t we just have this problem a couple of months ago?

As they say on ESPN, COME ON MAN!

We look forward to and appreciate your comments.

Maybe we all need to be nine feet tall and have three eyes and four ears in order for the government to get up to speed and take food safety more seriously, or execute more effectively.

I was reading a local news paper on Sunday and found an article titled Study: ?Quantifiable levels of Bisphenol A found in food by Ervin Brown of the Los Angeles Times. The article went on to say that last week a study was announced that was conducted by a research team that measured 105 foods from grocery stores in the Dallas area. In this research they detected quantifiable levels of BPA in sixty three of them. The products named were those of major brands.

Today I was browsing the internet and came across an item titled Eggs in Texas recalled after salmonella found at Ohio farm by Associated Press and www.khou.com. Didn?t we just have this problem a couple of months ago?

As they say on ESPN, COME ON MAN!

We look forward to and appreciate your comments.

There are many?areas that effect air cargo prices that can effect demand for and the use of this service and there are literally hundreds of airlines that participate. Examples might be issues such as the ash plumes from Iceland to the cost of jet fuel. With the recent concerns relative to air cargo security driven by the events in Yemen it is critically important not only that governments be concerned about the safe shipment of cargo to the? U.S.; but that U.S. companies importing these good also be concerned once the products have crossed our borders and entered the ground stage of their delivery cycle. The more products that are shipped the larger the problem for governments and? retail companies.

Air cargo volumes are growing rapidly. According to an article in Reuters the International Air Transport Association or the IATA says that the United States, for instance, shipped around 30 percent of its exports by value using air transport from January to March, IATA estimated. According to another article in Business Insider by Vincent Fernando, CFA titled Hong Kong Air Cargo Volume Exploding towards Record Highs. The article goes on to say that someone forget to tell Hong Kong the global economy was in trouble. Air Cargo volume is surging for the trade hub, up 47% year over year, and at the highest level in two and a half years.

Employees, consumers want to know that they are safe. As such it is critical that companies work together to develop a process that insures check and balances are in place from the site of original shipment to final store or consumer delivery.

We look forward to and appreciate your comments