In this episode of the Almond Byte, the Almond Board of California’s Global Technical and Regulatory Affairs team highlights two major regulatory developments shaping almond exports.

First, a major milestone for U.S. almond trade with Japan: USDA and Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor & Welfare have signed a voluntary aflatoxin pre-testing protocol. Years in the making, this agreement significantly reduces Japan’s inspection frequency for protocol participants, helping streamline exports and reduce costs. The episode discusses how handlers can participate and what to expect from implementation.

Then, we shift to the European Union, where the European Commission recently unveiled its “Vision for Agriculture and Food.” In response to last year’s farmer protests, the EU is moving toward tighter import controls — emphasizing mirror clauses, food safety, pesticide regulations and sustainability requirements for imported goods.