The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) issued notice.
that terminates the payment of a fee paid by importers of processed raspberries products under the Raspberry Research and Promotion Order. The effective date is February 21, 2019.
The final rule removes the requirement for payment of the assessment to the National Processed Raspberry Council, which had been collected by Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
A fee of $0.022 per kilogram was applied for imports of raspberries falling in the below two Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) number:
- 0811.20.2025 FROZEN RED RASPBERRIES, and
- 2007.99.6510 RED RASPBERRY PASTES & PUREES
A fee of $0.022 per liter was applied for HTS number:
- 2009.89.7055 RASPBERRY JUICE
Raspberry products that were certified ‘organic’ under the National Organic Program had been exempt from these fees with the filing of a request for exemption with the Council.
Revenue generated by these assessments was used to finance research and promotion programs designed to increase consumer demand for processed raspberries in the U.S. and international markets.
The ending of collection of this fee resulted from a vote by a majority of eligible importers and producers in a referendum conducted from September 10 through October 5, 2018. The remaining provisions of the Order and regulations will be terminated at a future date.
If you have any questions regarding the termination of the importers raspberry assessment fee, Livingston can help! Please contact either your Livingston account manager or our regulatory affairs group at usregaffairs@livingstonintl.com.