[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 19 (Wednesday, January 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 4242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2131]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Secretary of Agriculture's Special Cotton Import Quota 
Announcement Number 23

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: A special import quota for upland cotton equal to 44,522,887 
kilograms (98,156,244 pounds) is established in accordance with section 
136(b) of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 
(the 1996 Act) under Presidential Proclamation 6301 of June 7, 1991, 
and Presidential Proclamation 6948 of October 29, 1996. The quota is 
referenced as the Secretary of Agriculture's Special Cotton Import 
Quota Announcement Number 23, effective November 27, 1996, and is set 
forth in subheading 9903.52.23, subchapter III, chapter 99 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).

DATES: The quota is effective as of November 27, 1996, and applies to 
upland cotton purchased not later than February 24, 1997 (90 days from 
the date the quota is established), and entered into the United States 
not later than May 25, 1997 (180 days from the date the quota is 
established).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janise Zygmont, Farm Service Agency, 
United States Department of Agriculture, Stop 0515, P.O. Box 2415, 
Washington, DC 20013-2415 or call (202) 720-8841.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 1996 Act requires that a special import 
quota for upland cotton be determined and announced immediately if, for 
any consecutive 10-week period, the Friday through Thursday average 
price quotation for the lowest-priced U.S. growth, as quoted for 
Middling 1\3/32\ inch cotton, C.I.F. northern Europe (U.S. Northern 
Europe price), adjusted for the value of any cotton user marketing 
certificates issued, exceeds the Northern Europe price by more than 
1.25 cents per pound. This condition was met during the consecutive 10-
week period that ended November 21, 1996. Therefore, a quota referenced 
as the Secretary of Agriculture's Special Cotton Import Quota 
Announcement Number 23, effective November 27, 1996, is hereby 
established.
    Previously there were only 20 subheadings available for designating 
upland cotton special import quotas in subchapter III of chapter 99 of 
the HTS. Therefore, at most, only 20 such quotas could be in effect at 
one time and any additional quota which had been triggered could not 
become effective until the earliest of the 20 quotas ended. However, 
Presidential Proclamation 6948 dated October 29, 1996, added six new 
HTS subheadings for quotas--21 through 26. A maximum of 26 quotas may 
now be in effect at one time.
    To be effective as soon as possible, Quota 23 is established as of 
November 27, 1996, and applies to upland cotton purchased not later 
than February 24, 1997, and entered into the United States not later 
than May 25, 1997. The quota amount, 44,522,887 kilograms (98,156,244 
pounds), is equal to 1 week's consumption of upland cotton by domestic 
mills at the seasonally-adjusted average rate of the most recent 3 
months for which data are available--August 1996 through October 1996. 
The special import quota identifies a quantity of imports that is not 
subject to the over-quota tariff rate of a tariff-rate quota. The quota 
is not divided by staple length or by country of origin. The quota does 
not affect existing tariff rates or phytosanitary regulations. The 
quota does not apply to Extra Long Staple cotton.

    Authority: Sec. 136, P.L. 104-127 and U.S. Note 6(a), Subchapter 
III, Chapter 99 of the HTS.

    Signed at Washington, D.C., on January 22, 1997.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-2131 Filed 1-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P