,"The United States has issued an addendum to WTO notification G/TBT/N/USA/473, announcing that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is requesting public comments on whether the United States Standards for Rough Rice, Brown Rice for Processing, and Milled Rice should be revised. These standards were last opened for comment in 2015, and AMS notes that changes in rice production, quality assessment practices, and consumer preferences may justify updates.
The request for comments is published in the Federal Register (90 FR 51636, 18 November 2025) and is identified under Docket Number AMS-FGIS-25-0155. Relevant regulatory documents—including the 2009 Final Rule establishing the current standards—are available through the U.S. government portals and Regulations.gov. WTO Members and stakeholders are invited to submit comments to the USA TBT Enquiry Point by 20 January 2026, after which submissions will be forwarded to USDA and posted to the official docket if received within the allowed timeframe."