[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 57 (Tuesday, March 25, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 14107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7409]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Secretary of Agriculture's Special Cotton Import Quota
Announcement Number 7
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: A special import quota for upland cotton equal to 44,900,528
kilograms (98,988,801 pounds) is established in accordance with section
136(b) of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996
(the 1996 Act) under Presidential Proclamation 6301 of June 7, 1991,
and Presidential Proclamation 6948 of October 29, 1996. The quota is
referenced as the Secretary of Agriculture's Special Cotton Import
Quota Announcement Number 7, effective March 1, 1997, and is set forth
in subheading 9903.52.07, subchapter III, chapter 99 of the Harmonized
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).
DATES: The quota is effective as of March 1, 1997, and applies to
upland cotton purchased not later than May 29, 1997 (90 days from the
date the quota is established), and entered into the United States not
later than August 27, 1997 (180 days from the date the quota is
established).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janise Zygmont, Farm Service Agency,
United States Department of Agriculture, Stop 0515, P.O. Box 2415,
Washington, DC 20013-2415 or call (202) 720-8841.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 1996 Act requires that a special import
quota for upland cotton be determined and announced immediately if, for
any consecutive 10-week period, the Friday through Thursday average
price quotation for the lowest-priced U.S. growth, as quoted for
Middling 1\3/32\ inch cotton, C.I.F. northern Europe (U.S. Northern
Europe price), adjusted for the value of any cotton user marketing
certificates issued, exceeds the Northern Europe price by more than
1.25 cents per pound. This condition was met during the consecutive 10-
week period that ended January 16, 1997. Therefore, a quota referenced
as the Secretary of Agriculture's Special Cotton Import Quota
Announcement Number 7, effective March 1, 1997, is hereby established.
Previously there were only 20 subheadings available for designating
upland cotton special import quotas in subchapter III of chapter 99 of
the HTS. Therefore, at most, only 20 such quotas could be in effect at
one time and any additional quota which had been triggered could not
become effective until the earliest of the 20 quotas ended. However,
Presidential Proclamation 6948 dated October 29, 1996, added six new
HTS subheadings for quotas--21 through 26. A maximum of 26 quotas may
now be in effect at one time.
To be effective as soon as possible, Quota 7 is established as of
March 1, 1997, and applies to upland cotton purchased not later than
May 29, 1997, and entered into the United States not later than August
27, 1997. The quota amount, 44,900,528 kilograms (98,988,801 pounds),
is equal to 1 week's consumption of upland cotton by domestic mills at
the seasonally-adjusted average rate of the most recent 3 months for
which data are available--September 1996 through November 1996. The
special import quota identifies a quantity of imports that is not
subject to the over-quota tariff rate of a tariff-rate quota. The quota
is not divided by staple length or by country of origin. The quota does
not affect existing tariff rates or phytosanitary regulations. The
quota does not apply to Extra Long Staple cotton.
Authority: Sec. 136, P.L. 104-127 and U.S. Note 6(a), Subchapter
III, Chapter 99 of the HTS.
Signed at Washington, D.C., on March 18, 1997.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-7409 Filed 3-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P
