Employee expense reimbursement is an area that's sometimes overlooked by business owners. Employees who spend their own money on job-related items often request to be reimbursed for these expenses. In such cases, what should a business cover, and how should reimbursement be handled

The “Write My Representative” page, located in the “I Want To” section of the hamburger menu/main navigation of the new NCBFAA website, is now available for members to browse and take action on behalf of the customs broker and forwarder industries.

Every customs broker knows that interacting with Partner Government Agencies (PGAs) can be the most challenging part of their job. The PGA data requirements are often demanding. And, on top of that, there are just so many agencies!

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) launched the “Green Trade Strategy,” a framework to incentivize green trade, strengthen the agency’s environmental enforcement posture, accelerate green innovation, and improve climate resilience and resource efficiency.

On behalf of NCBFAA's Board of Directors, Leadership and Staff, we want to take a moment to acknowledge and welcome the following members who have recently joined our association:

NCBFAA knows that you as our members are doing their best to keep up with their day-to-day businesses under dire supply chain circumstances, and now add on top of all that the recent flurry of U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. What do these sanctions mean to your business (our industry)? Well, it can be an awful lot, depending on whether you work with customers that had export or import business with Russia prior to invasion.

President Biden on June 27 signed into effect Presidential Proclamation 10420 which increases the column two rates of duty on certain articles originating from Russia. Effective 30 days from the date of this June 27 proclamation, all products listed in Appendix A to the proclamation will be subject to a duty rate of 35%.

NCBFAA Transportation Counsel Ashley Craig, along with Transportation Committee members Melzie Wilson and Rich Roche, held a webinar, “OSRA 22 – What You Need to Know,” on June 28 which was attended by hundreds of Regular Members.

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have continued to postpone their “Container Dwell Fee,” and said they will reconsider its possible imposition on July 8.

Here is a summary of the latest customs and cross-border trade regulatory updates brought to you by our NCBFAA Customs Counsel firm Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg:

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., have highlighted for our customs broker members the details of the U.S. Russian oil tariff for India and the Aug. 7 implementation of the reciprocal tariffs against a range of country imports, as well as noted the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) related guidance to these tariff actions. In addition, the Committee provided guidance regarding the European Union HTS application of 9903.02.19/9903.02.20.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on July 25 announced that a new treatment recommendation, Shredder-Hammermill, has been added to the list of available treatments in their Treatment Manual to provide an emergency phytosanitary destruction method for dunnage, pallets, wood packaging material (WPM) and other non-compliant wood products.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it will begin making flagging updates to the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) codes related to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reflect the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) bi-annual 484(f) changes to the HTS.

In July, NCBFAA reported that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would soon end paper submissions of the Lacey declaration. Now, it is official — APHIS said on Aug. 8 that paper submissions end, starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to extend the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule by 30 months — to July 2028. The agency said it remains committed to successful implementation of the full requirements of the final rule, which establishes additional traceability recordkeeping requirements, beyond what is already required in existing regulations, for persons who manufacture, import, process, pack, or hold foods found on the Food Traceability List.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., have highlighted for our customs broker members the details of the U.S. Russian oil tariff for India and the Aug. 7 implementation of the reciprocal tariffs against a range of country imports, as well as noted the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) related guidance to these tariff actions. In addition, the Committee provided guidance regarding the European Union HTS application of 9903.02.19/9903.02.20.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on July 25 announced that a new treatment recommendation, Shredder-Hammermill, has been added to the list of available treatments in their Treatment Manual to provide an emergency phytosanitary destruction method for dunnage, pallets, wood packaging material (WPM) and other non-compliant wood products.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it will begin making flagging updates to the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) codes related to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reflect the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) bi-annual 484(f) changes to the HTS.

In July, NCBFAA reported that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would soon end paper submissions of the Lacey declaration. Now, it is official — APHIS said on Aug. 8 that paper submissions end, starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to extend the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule by 30 months — to July 2028. The agency said it remains committed to successful implementation of the full requirements of the final rule, which establishes additional traceability recordkeeping requirements, beyond what is already required in existing regulations, for persons who manufacture, import, process, pack, or hold foods found on the Food Traceability List.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., have highlighted for our customs broker members the details of the U.S. Russian oil tariff for India and the Aug. 7 implementation of the reciprocal tariffs against a range of country imports, as well as noted the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) related guidance to these tariff actions. In addition, the Committee provided guidance regarding the European Union HTS application of 9903.02.19/9903.02.20.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on July 25 announced that a new treatment recommendation, Shredder-Hammermill, has been added to the list of available treatments in their Treatment Manual to provide an emergency phytosanitary destruction method for dunnage, pallets, wood packaging material (WPM) and other non-compliant wood products.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it will begin making flagging updates to the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) codes related to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reflect the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) bi-annual 484(f) changes to the HTS.

In July, NCBFAA reported that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would soon end paper submissions of the Lacey declaration. Now, it is official — APHIS said on Aug. 8 that paper submissions end, starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to extend the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule by 30 months — to July 2028. The agency said it remains committed to successful implementation of the full requirements of the final rule, which establishes additional traceability recordkeeping requirements, beyond what is already required in existing regulations, for persons who manufacture, import, process, pack, or hold foods found on the Food Traceability List.