| Title: | ENT - HONEY FEE |
|---|---|
| Date: | 1996-09-25 |
| To: | abi |
| Links: | previous, next |
TO : ALL ABI BROKERS.
FROM : RAYMOND ZZ-JANISZEWSKI
SUBJECT : ENT - HONEY FEE
DATE : 09/25/96
6269021
DATE: SEPTEMBER 25, 1996
FILE: FO:TC:C:E:O ES
TO : ALL PORT DIRECTORS
FROM : DIRECTOR
TRADE COMPLIANCE
SUBJECT: COLLECTION OF ASSESSMENTS OF FLAVORED HONEY
PASS TO: NATIONAL IMPORT SPECIALIST(S), IMPORT SPECIALISTS
INSPECTORS, ENTRY SPECIALISTS, AND OTHER INTERESTED
PARTIES, BROKERS AND IMPORTERS
THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE (USDA), HAS DIRECTED THE CUSTOMS SERVICE (CUSTOMS) TO
BEGIN IMMEDIATE COLLECTION OF AN ASSESSMENT ON IMPORTED FLAVORED
HONEY. THIS ACTION WILL ADD A NEW HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE
(HTS) CODE NUMBER FOR IMPORTED FLAVORED HONEY TO THE RULES AND
REGULATIONS ISSUED UNDER THE HONEY RESEARCH, PROMOTION, AND
CONSUMER INFORMATION ORDER WHICH PROVIDES THE AUTHORITY FOR THE
U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE TO COLLECT THIS ASSESSMENT.
BACKGROUND
THE HONEY RESEARCH, PROMOTION, AND CONSUMER INFORMATION ORDER
(ORDER) PROVIDES THAT EACH PRODUCER AND IMPORTER SHALL PAY TO THE
BOARD A ONE CENT PER POUND ASSESSMENT RATE ON HONEY AND HONEY
PRODUCTS PRODUCED IN OR IMPORTED INTO THE UNITED STATES. SECTION
1240.5 OF THE ORDER DEFINES HONEY PRODUCTS AS PRODUCTS WHEREIN
HONEY IS A PRINCIPAL INGREDIENT.
- 2 -
IN ORDER FOR CUSTOMS TO COLLECT THE ASSESSMENT ON IMPORTED HONEY
AND HONEY PRODUCTS, EACH PRODUCT NEEDS TO BE IDENTIFIED BY AN HTS
NUMBER. SINCE THE BOARD'S INCEPTION, HONEY HAS BEEN ASSESSED BY
CUSTOMS UNDER HTS CODE NUMBER 0409.00.00. HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO
HTS NUMBERS FOR HONEY PRODUCTS.
THE BOARD HAS IDENTIFIED FLAVORED HONEY AS A PRODUCT CONTAINING
APPROXIMATELY 99 PERCENT HONEY. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 500,000
POUNDS OF FLAVORED HONEY ARE IMPORTED INTO THE U.S. ANNUALLY
WITHOUT THE REQUIRED ASSESSMENT BEING PAID. THEREFORE, AT THE
RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD, USDA REQUESTED THE COMMITTEE FOR
STATISTICAL ANNOTATION OF TARIFF SCHEDULES (COMMITTEE) OF THE
INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH AN HTS NUMBER FOR
FLAVORED HONEY. THE COMMITTEE NOTIFIED USDA ON FEBRUARY 13,
1996, THAT A NUMBER HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR FLAVORED HONEY.
SEE FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 61, NO. 113, TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 1996,
PP. 29461-29462.
ACTION
THE FINAL RULE THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER (SEE
ABOVE) ADDS 2106.90.9988 HTS NUMBER FOR FLAVORED HONEY TO SECTION
1240.115(E) OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ISSUED UNDER THE ORDER.
THEREFORE, AS OF NOVEMBER 20, 1996, FLAVORED HONEY, ENTERED UNDER
2106.90.9988, WILL BE ASSESSED AT 2.2-CENTS-PER KILOGRAM
(ONE-CENT-PER-POUND).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS ON THIS ASSESSMENT,
PLEASE CONTACT ERIN K. STOKES AT (202) 927-0292.
ANNE K. LOMBARDI (FOR)
PHILIP METZGER