USDA increasing honey import assessment fee May 22, 2015

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will be increasing the Honey Packers and Importers Research and Promotion Order assessment fee from $0.01 per pound to $0.015 per pound on honey and honey products, over a two-year period. (Limits on assessment rate increases restrict increases to no more than one-quarter cent per pound per year.)

Effective May 22, 2015, the rate will increase to $0.0125 per pound for the period January 1 through December 31, 2015; and effective January 1, 2016 to $0.015 per pound.

Assessments paid by importers and first handlers (packers) are used for research and promotion projects designed to maintain and expand the market for honey and honey products in the United States and abroad. Importers pay assessments to the Board through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) when entry is filed.

Exemptions are available to importers who imports less than 250,000 pounds of honey or honey products per calendar year, with approval from the Honey Board , or for honey that is certified organic under the USDA’s National Organics Program.

Also approved were three additional changes:

  • Clarification that the assessment rate applies not only to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) heading numbers 0409.00.00 and 2106.90.9988, but to any other numbers used to identify honey, in event of any change in HTS numbers.
  • A change to recordkeeping requirements for maintaining books and records from two to three years beyond the fiscal period.
  • A change to exemption requirements, clarifying that exemptions for a calendar year are effective on the date approved by the Honey Packers and Importers Board.

Questions about this regulatory update may be directed to Livingston’s U.S. Regulatory Affairs group.