Comment from Michael Lemmon, Whiteshire Hamroc, LLC

Thanks for the opportunity to comment. USDA user fees involved with the exportation of livestock continue to be an impediment to the exporting business. Each year the fees increase and make it harder to compete with other exporting countries. This year the cost of testing and regulatory fees have increased the cost to export a pig to China to over $200 per pig shipped. This is now the 2nd greatest cost associated with exporting pigs (air freight is the highest cost) and now surpasses the cost of the pig being shipped. Exportation of animals add value to local farmers and business and help offset our negative balance of trade with countries like China. These fees for testing by the NVSL for example, often cost 4 or 5 times as much at the NVSL as they do in the local state laboratories. It is not fair to exporters to have costs not associated with the export testing be passed on to the exporters of livestock. It is my belief, that fees charged for testing of livestock of export should be eliminated or at least changed to match those costs of state laboratories. Thanks for opening this issue to comment. Best, Mike Lemmon