[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 19, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53603-53604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18407]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Inv. No. 332-488]


Global Beef Trade: Effects of Animal Health, Sanitary, Food 
Safety, and Other Measures on U.S. Beef Exports

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and scheduling of hearing.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt on August 7, 2007, of a request from the 
United States Senate Committee on Finance (Committee) under section 
332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)), the Commission 
instituted investigation No. 332-488, Global Beef Trade: Effects of 
Animal Health, Sanitary, Food Safety, and Other Measures on U.S. Beef 
Exports.

DATES: October 15, 2007: Deadline for filing requests to appear at 
public hearing.
    October 22, 2007: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    November 15, 2007: Public hearing.
    November 23, 2007: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    February 29, 2008: Deadline for all other submissions.
    June 6, 2008: Transmittal of Commission report to the Senate 
Committee on Finance.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record 
for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic 
docket (EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project leader John N. Giamalva (202-
205-3329 or [email protected]) or deputy project leader Joe 
Kowalski (202-205-3323 or [email protected]) for information 
specific to this investigation. For more information on legal aspects 
of the investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's 
Office of the General Counsel at 202-205-3091 or 
[email protected]. The media should contact Margaret 
O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations at 202-205-1819 or 
[email protected]. Hearing impaired individuals are advised 
that information on this matter

[[Page 53604]]

can be obtained by contacting the TDD terminal at 202-205-1810. General 
information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing 
its internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). The public record for this 
investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket 
(EDIS-ONLINE) at http://edis.usitc.gov. Persons with mobility 
impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the 
Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.
    Background: As requested by the Committee, the Commission will 
conduct an investigation under section 332(g) and prepare a report 
regarding the effects of animal health, sanitary, and food safety 
measures on beef trade between the United States and its major trading 
partners. The Commission's report will cover the period 2002-2007, to 
the extent data are available.
    As requested by the Committee, the Commission will include the 
following information in its report, to the extent possible: (1) An 
overview of the U.S. and global markets for beef, including production, 
consumption, exports, and imports; (2) information on animal health, 
sanitary, and food safety measures facing U.S. and other major beef 
exporters in major destination markets; (3) information on other 
barriers to U.S. beef exports in major destination markets, including 
high tariffs, quotas, and import licensing and distribution systems; 
and (4) a qualitative and, to the extent possible, quantitative 
analysis of the economic effects of foreign animal health, sanitary, 
and food safety measures on U.S. beef exports. The Commission expects 
to deliver the report to the Committee by June 6, 2008.
    Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this 
investigation will be held at the U.S. International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on 
November 15, 2007. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be 
filed with the Secretary, no later than 5:15 p.m., October 18, 2007, in 
accordance with the requirements in the ``Written Submissions'' section 
below. In the event that, as of the close of business on October 18, 
2007, no witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing 
will be canceled. Any person interested in attending the hearing as an 
observer or nonparticipant may call the Secretary to the Commission 
(202-205-2000) after October 15, 2007, for information concerning 
whether the hearing will be held.
    Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in 
the hearing, interested parties are invited to submit written 
statements and briefs concerning this investigation. All written 
submissions, including requests to appear at the hearing, statements, 
and briefs, should be addressed to the Secretary. Pre-hearing briefs 
and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., October 22, 
2007; and post-hearing briefs and statements should be filed not later 
than 5:15 p.m., November 23, 2007. All other submissions should be 
filed not later than 5:15 p.m., February 29, 2008. All written 
submissions must conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). Section 
201.8 requires that a signed original (or a copy so designated) and 
fourteen (14) copies of each document be filed. In the event that 
confidential treatment of a document is requested, at least four (4) 
additional copies must be filed, in which the confidential information 
must be deleted (see the following paragraph for further information 
regarding confidential business information). The Commission's rules 
authorize filing submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or 
electronic means only to the extent permitted by section 201.8 of the 
rules (see Handbook for Electronic Filing Procedures, http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/rules/documents/handbook_on_electronic_filing.pdf). Persons with questions regarding 
electronic filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2000).
    Any submissions that contain confidential business information must 
also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the 
rules requires that the cover of the document and the individual pages 
be clearly marked as to whether they are the ``confidential'' or ``non-
confidential'' version, and that the confidential business information 
be clearly identified by means of brackets. All written submissions, 
except for confidential business information, will be made available in 
the Office of the Secretary to the Commission for inspection by 
interested parties.
    In its request letter, the Committee states that it intends to make 
the Commission's report available to the public, in its entirety, and 
asked that the Commission not include any confidential business 
information in the report it sends to the Committee. Consequently, the 
report that the Commission sends to the Committee will not contain any 
such information. Any confidential business information received by the 
Commission in this investigation and used in preparing the report will 
not be published in a manner that would reveal the operations of the 
individual or firm supplying the information.

    Issued: September 13, 2007.

    By order of the Commission.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
 [FR Doc. E7-18407 Filed 9-18-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P