Fee Increases
Effective Jan. 10, the Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is adjusting user fees associated with providing import- and export-related services for live animals, animal products and byproducts, birds, germplasm, organisms, and vectors. Among other things, these fees fund quarantine services, the processing of import permit applications, port of entry inspections, inspections and approvals of import/export facilities and establishments, endorsements of export certificates, and services related to emergency situations that arise during the export or import process. APHIS does not receive directly appropriated funds for these activities.
The majority of the adjustments are increases. These include the fees for simple import compliance assistance (from $111 to $249 per shipment), processing initial import permits (from $150 to $303 per application), inspection of live horses at U.S.-Mexico border ports of entry (from $70 to $288 per head), inspections of approved establishments, warehouses, and facilities (from $633 to $747 per year), and endorsement of export health certificates for animal and non-animal products (from $51 to $101).
Beef Exports to China
The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service reports that on Dec. 27, 2024, China announced a safeguard investigation on global beef imports. An affirmative determination would likely result in additional duties on such imports, including from the U.S.
FAS states that this investigation covers fresh, chilled, and frozen beef products classified under HTS codes 0201.10.00, 0201.20.00, 0201.30.00, 0202.10.00, 0202.20.00, and 0202.30.00. Leading suppliers of beef to China include Brazil ($6.0 billion), Argentina ($2.2 billion), Australia ($1.6 billion), the U.S. ($1.5 billion), Uruguay ($1.1 billion), and New Zealand ($1.0 billion).
Interested parties have 20 days to register or comment, and the investigation will likely conclude within eight months unless special circumstances are determined to exist.
Poultry Imports
APHIS has imposed the restrictions listed below on importations from zones PCZ-253 in Ontario, Canada (effective Dec. 19) and zones PCZ-254 and -255 in Ontario (effective Dec. 20) based on determinations that highly-pathogenic avian influenza exists in domestic birds in these areas.
- Imports of poultry, commercial birds, ratites, avian hatching eggs, unprocessed avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh poultry products originating from or transiting these areas are prohibited.
- Processed avian products and byproducts originating from or transiting these areas, imported as cargo, must be accompanied by an APHIS import permit and/or government certification confirming that the products were treated according to APHIS requirements.
- Importation as cargo of fresh, unprocessed shell/table eggs and other egg products, void of the shell (i.e., liquid eggs, dried egg whites), originating from or transiting these areas is prohibited unless the products are consigned from the port of arrival directly to an APHIS-approved breaking and pasteurization facility. An import permit and/or certificate is not required for these shipments when consigned directly to an APHIS-approved establishment.
- Full finished, non-shelf-stable and/or non-commercially packaged and labeled food products containing pasteurized egg/egg product ingredients that originate from or transit anywhere in Canada must be accompanied by an APHIS import permit.
Belize
Effective Jan. 3 and until further notice, APHIS is restricting the importation of animal commodities originating from or transiting Belize based on the confirmation of New World screwworm in cattle. As a result, APHIS will only allow imports of horses and dogs from Belize under certain circumstances. APHIS prohibits imports of live ruminants, swine, and their germplasm from Belize due to other diseases.
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