[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 105 (Monday, June 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29699-29700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14329]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Secretary of Agriculture's Special Cotton Import Quota
Announcement Number 15
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: A special import quota for upland cotton equal to 45,207,456
kilograms (99,665,462 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 15, effective June 5, 1997, and is set forth
in subheading 9903.52.15, subchapter III, chapter 99 of the Harmonized
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).
DATES: The quota is effective as of June 5, 1997, and applies to upland
cotton purchased not later than September 2, 1997 (90 days from the
date the quota is established), and entered into the United States not
later than December 1, 1997 (180 days from the date the quota is
established).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gene Rosera, Farm Service Agency,
[[Page 29700]]
United States Department of Agriculture, Stop 0518, P.O. Box 2415,
Washington, DC 20013-2415 or call (202) 720-3452.
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 April 10, 1997. Therefore, a quota referenced as
the Secretary of Agriculture's Special Cotton Import Quota Announcement
Number 15, effective June 5, 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 15 is established as of
June 5, 1997, and applies to upland cotton purchased not later than
September 2, 1997, and entered into the United States not later than
December 1, 1997. The quota amount, 45,207,456 kilograms (99,665,462
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--December 1996 through February
1997. 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, Pub. L. 104-127 and U.S. Note 6(a),
Subchapter III, Chapter 99 of the HTS.
Signed at Washington, D.C., on May 27, 1997.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-14329 Filed 5-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P
