CHICAGO, IL, - Chicago-based Rogers Worldwide, an international exhibition logistics company, has issued an update to exhibition organizer clients on the provisions of amendments to the hundred-year-old Lacey Act which Congress passed into law last year. The update warns of sweeping changes in import regulations that went into effect December 15, 2008 and have the potential of affecting every category of exhibition goods.

Recent amendments to the Lacey Act, passed by Congress as part of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, make it illegal to import, export, transport or possess any goods in violation of plant protection laws of the U.S., Indian Tribes or any foreign country. In order to enforce the law, importers are required to declare the genus and species of the plants from which the goods are manufactured, quantity of plant material and name of the country from which the plant was harvested.

Lacey Act amendments cover nearly every category of products imported into the U.S. including pharmaceuticals, cars, textiles, food products, furniture, paper and others. It also includes products that are accompanied by instruction manuals or that have paper or fabric hangtags or content labels. Violations can result in severe criminal and/or civil penalties including fines and imprisonment for importers. The amendments feature a phased rollout of the commodities that will be subject to compliance beginning April 1, 2009.

"We wanted to let our clients know that we are taking responsibility for informing foreign exhibitors about the requirements and doing everything possible to assist them with compliance. These are sweeping changes to customs regulations that we take very seriously and intend to keep our clients abreast of," says Jeanette Mucha, a licensed customs broker and director, national sales for Rogers Worldwide.

During the implementation phase, the regulations are subject to change. Rogers plans quarterly client updates on implementation of the Lacey Act provisions.

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Rogers Worldwide is an international freight forwarder and customs broker specializing in the international exhibition industry. As a division of Rock-It Cargo, Rogers is part of a 200+ employee organization with 23 offices worldwide.

For Information contact:
Jeanette Mucha
Director, National Sales
(847) 806-9200
jmucha@rerogers.com