Cotton Board Rules and Regulations: Amending Importer Line-Item De Minimis
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Docket Number: AMS-CN-14-0037
Effective Date: July 15, 2016
Summary
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is amending the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations to remove the cotton import de minimis provision. The Cotton Research and Promotion (R&P) Program assesses U.S. cotton producers and importers of cotton and cotton-containing products. Importers are exempt from paying the cotton import assessment (known commonly among importers as the “cotton fee”) if a line item on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) documentation is $2.00 or less. The exemption was initially established to lessen the administrative burden of collecting an import assessment, which was originally estimated to be $2.00 per line item, in instances in which the transactions costs of the collection would exceed the actual value of the assessment; however, technological advances in the CBP documentation process significantly reduced the transactions costs associated with collecting import assessments, and CBP has since stopped charging USDA for the processing and collecting of assessments. Given that transactions costs no longer exceed assessment rates of $2.00 or less, AMS is removing this de minimis provision from the regulations. In addition, the definition of cotton with respect to procedures for conducting the sign-up period is being modified.
USITC Releases Seventh Annual Report on U.S. Textile and Apparel Imports from China
U.S. International Trade Commission
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today released its annual compilation of reports published every two weeks on textile and apparel imports from China.
The report, Textile and Apparel Imports from China: Statistical Reports, Annual Compilation 2015, was requested by the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Ways and Means.
As requested, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, produced an annual compilation of data that has been posted on a bi-weekly basis on the USITC website. The data in the report are shown on an annual and quarterly basis, by category and by Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) 10-digit subheadings.
By category, annual data are provided from 2008 through 2015, and quarterly data are provided from first quarter 2014 through fourth quarter 2015. By HTS10 subheading, annual data are provided from 2013 through 2015, and quarterly data are provided from first quarter 2014 through fourth quarter 2015.
The report also will be available on the USITC Internet site in Excel and PDF formats at https://www.usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/what_we_are_working_on.htm (scroll down to the bottom of the page). A DVD of the report may be requested by email at pubrequest@usitc.gov, by calling 202-205-2000, or by writing the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104.
USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subjects investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.
CBP at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport Halts Bling of $680,000 in Championship Rings
U.S. Customs & Border Protection
DETROIT — In late April, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport seized $680,000 (MSRP) in counterfeit NHL, NFL and MLB championship rings in a shipment that originated on a flight from China.
While conducting operations at a DHL consignment facility, the Cargo Enforcement Team selected and examined a shipment of rings from China, resulting in the discovery of 136 counterfeit championship rings from the National Football League, National Hockey League and Major League Baseball. In all, the counterfeit rings displayed the names and logos of several teams such as the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints, and New York Jets. The shipment also included rings for the Chicago Black Hawks and the Boston Red Sox.
“CBP continues to devote its efforts and resources to target, intercept and seize shipments of commodities that violate trade laws,” stated Gary Calhoun, Acting Port Director for Detroit Metropolitan Airport. “Through tireless efforts, CBP officers and import specialists conduct these operations to stop shipments containing counterfeit and pirated items.”
The company identified as the receiver of the rings used a fictitious name and was found to have previous copyright/trademark violations.
The enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights is a CBP Priority Trade Issue. Priority Trade Issues represent high-risk areas that can cause significant revenue loss, harm the U.S. economy, or threaten the health and safety of the American people. They drive the risk-informed investment of CBP resources as well as enforcement and facilitation efforts, including special enforcement operations, outreach, and regulatory initiatives.
CBP Officers Discover Drug Load Concealed In Wooden Furniture
U.S. Customs & Border Protection
SANTA TERESA, NM -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers working at the Santa Teresa port of entry seized 224 pounds of marijuana June 8. The drugs were concealed within wooden tables in a shipment of rustic furniture.
"Smugglers are only limited by their imagination and will go to extreme lengths in an effort to conceal their illicit goods,” said Ray Provencio, CBP Santa Teresa Port Director. “CBP officers used a variety of tools to locate this drug load.”
The seizure was made just after 4 p.m. Wednesday when a 2001 Ford Econoline van towing a flatbed trailer loaded with rustic wood furniture entered the port from Mexico. The shipment was selected for an x-ray exam during which a CBP officer spotted anomalies in the appearance of the cargo.
CBP drug sniffing dog “Pele” searched the shipment and alerted to the goods. CBP officers drilled into the top of a table and recovered a green substance which tested positive for marijuana. CBP officers removed a total of 135 marijuana-filled bundles from compartments constructed into the tops of two tables. No arrests were made and the investigation continues.
sWhile anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.
CBP Officers in West Palm Beach Seize Over $2 Million in Counterfeit Merchandise
U.S. Customs & Border Protection
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla— U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers with the West Palm Beach Trade Enforcement Team (TET) at the port of West Palm Beach seized numerous pallets containing hundreds of boxes of counterfeit footwear, handbags, headsets/ear buds and Universal Serial Bus (USB) adapters. The merchandise was shipped from China and destined to Nassau, Bahamas. The seized merchandise has an estimated Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of over $2,000,000.
CBP officers conducted an examination of cargo that was manifested as containing footwear, ladies handbags, tissue and assorted goods. CBP officers suspected various items to be counterfeit and submitted the items to CBP Import Specialists for an Intellectual Property Rights review. CBP subsequently seized the merchandise for violation of 19 USC 1526 (e) because the merchandise was bearing counterfeit marks.
“Our CBP officers demonstrate their exceptional skills at identifying counterfeit goods and work well with CBP Import Specialists to protect consumers and ensure that low quality and unsafe products do not enter the commerce of the United States,” said Port Director Jennifer Connors.
On a typical day in Fiscal Year 2015, CBP Office of Field Operations officers around the country seize counterfeit goods totaling more than $3.7 million. Intellectual Property Rights enforcement is a CBP Priority Trade Issue. CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) released their Fiscal Year 2015 IPR Seizure Statistics and an accompanying press release on April 15, 2016. In Fiscal Year 2015, 28,865 seizures of counterfeit and pirated goods, worth an estimated MSRP value of $1.3 billion, were made.
To become familiar with applicable laws and regulations, see CBP’s Tips for New Importers and Exporters.
If you have any suspicion of or information regarding suspected fraud or illegal trade activity, please contact CBP through the e-Allegations website or by calling 1-800-BE-ALERT.
Press Release – FAA Proposes $350,000 Civil Penalty Against Amazon.com, Inc.
Federal Aviation Administration
SEATTLE – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $350,000 civil penalty against Amazon.com, Inc. of Seattle, Wash., for allegedly violating the Hazardous Materials Regulations.
The FAA alleges that on Oct. 15, 2014, Amazon offered to United Parcel Service (UPS) a package containing a one-gallon container of “Amazing! LIQUID FIRE,” a corrosive drain cleaner for transportation by air from Louisville, Ky., to Boulder, Colo.
While being transported, some of the Liquid Fire leaked through the fiberboard box. Nine UPS employees who came into contact with the box reported feeling a burning sensation and were treated with a chemical wash.
The FAA alleges the shipment was not properly packaged, was not accompanied by a Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods and was not properly marked or labeled to indicate the hazardous nature of its contents. Furthermore, the FAA alleges Amazon failed to provide emergency response information with the package, and that Amazon employees who handled the package had not received required hazardous materials training.
Amazon has a history of violating the Hazardous Materials Regulations. From February 2013 to September 2015 alone, Amazon was found to have violated the Hazardous Materials Regulations 24 other times. The FAA is continuing to investigate Amazon’s compliance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations applicable to air transportation.
Amazon has 30 days from receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.
Cargo Volumes Improve Slightly in May
Port of Long Beach
Imports, exports edge up as summer approaches
Container cargo numbers improved slightly at the Port of Long Beach in May, rising 0.8 percent compared to the same month last year when the docks were still busily catching up after several months of congestion.
With cargo volumes near all-time peak levels, May’s 640,566 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units — a standard industry measure for containerized cargo) qualified the month as the second-busiest May in the Port’s 105-year history.
Imports were up 1 percent to 330,639 TEUs, exports were up 2 percent to 138,594 TEUs, and empties were flat at 171,333 TEUs, off just 0.4 percent compared to the same month last year. The year-to-date total is down 1.5 percent compared to the first five months of 2015.
The Port’s numbers are in line with trends observed by the National Retail Federation (NRF), which reports that inventories remain high for U.S. stores and warehouses, muting demand for oceangoing trade.
As noted by the NRF, the year-over-year comparisons to 2015 are difficult to make, given the unusual patterns last year when the industry ramped up activity following the congestion slowdowns at the start of that year, and comparisons to prior years are skewed because the nation was still in recovery mode from the historic recession that began in 2008.
The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s premier seaports, a gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. With 175 shipping lines connecting Long Beach to 217 seaports, the Port handles $180 billion in trade annually, supporting hundreds of thousands of Southern California jobs.
Double-Digit Growth Propels Port of Los Angeles to Busiest May in Port History
Port of Los Angeles
SAN PEDRO, Calif. — June 15, 2016, - Overall cargo volumes at the Port of Los Angeles increased nearly 11 percent in May compared to the same period last year, marking the busiest May in the Port’s 109-year history. Total volumes registered at 770,409 Twenty-Foot Equivalents (TEUs), with container growth of 8.7 percent for the first five months of 2016 compared to last year.
“The strong growth both on the import and export side is encouraging as we continue to explore ways to improve supply chain efficiencies,” said Executive Director Gene Seroka.
“The unwavering efforts of our supply chain partners, including organized labor, has had a significant impact on our success.”
May loaded imports increased 15 percent to 400,765 TEUs. Loaded exports rose 6.3 percent to 162,487 TEUs. Along with a 7.1 percent rise in empty containers, overall May container volumes were 770,409 TEUs.
Through May, total 2016 cargo volumes are 3,457,569 TEUs, an increase of 8.7 percent compared to the same period in 2015. Current and past data container counts for the Port of Los Angeles may be found at:
http://www.portoflosangeles.org/maritime/stats.asp