APHIS PROPOSES FEE FOR SHIPPER USE OF MIAMI AIRPORT ANIMAL RAMP

APHIS PROPOSES FEE FOR SHIPPER USE OF MIAMI AIRPORT ANIMAL RAMP    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service proposes to create a new user fee for shippers that use its animal ramp at Miami International Airport.
   The agency wants to assess shippers a fee of $151, regardless of the length of time the ramp is used or the number of animals being transported across it. This fee is not part of the standard hourly labor rate for APHIS officials to clear animals through Miami.
   “The proposed new user fee would ensure that we recover costs incurred by the ramp’s purchase and use, and would shift the cost of the ramp to those who receive benefits from its use,” APHIS said.
   The Miami airport ramp is used to move 5,000 to 6,000 animals a year. Last year, 117 users (brokers or livestock owners) used the ramp to transport their animals. The animals moved across this ramp were mostly cattle, sheep, goats and horses.
   APHIS will take comments from the shipping industry through July 11. For more information about the proposed user fee, contact Kris Caraher of APHIS’ Financial Management Division, at (301) 734-8351.