USDA proposes import/export inspection fee increases

USDA proposes import/export inspection fee increases The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) proposes to raise its inspection service fees for imports and exports during fiscal years 2009 to 2013.
   The user fees are authorized under the 1990 Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act. The agency has not received any appropriated funds to provide these inspection services since fiscal year 1992.
   The proposed user fees are based on fiscal year 2007 costs and include direct labor costs adjusted by 3 percent for fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to cover increases in employee pay, and adjustments in estimated non-labor costs for inflation at 3.3 percent each year, APHIS said.
   APHIS said in a June 4 Federal Register notice that the 'total impact of the proposed changes should be small, as the proposed fee changes represent a tiny fraction of the value of the shipments of animals and animal products.
   'By contrast, the increase in annual collections from user fees included in this proposed rule would be about $5.3 million in fiscal year 2009, and rising to about $14 million in 2013,' APHIS said.
   APHIS will take industry comments on the proposed user fee increases through Aug. 4. For more details, access the Federal Register notice at edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-12376.htm.