[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 87 (Thursday, May 6, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24969-24970]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-10650]


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 INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-518]


 China's Agricultural Trade: Competitive Conditions and Effects 
on U.S. Exports

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and scheduling of hearing.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt on April 1, 2010, 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 U.S. 
International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted investigation 
No. 332-518, China's Agricultural Trade: Competitive Conditions and 
Effects on U.S. Exports.

DATES: May 25, 2010: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the 
public hearing.
    June 3, 2010: Deadline for filing prehearing briefs and statements.
    June 22, 2010: Public hearing.
    June 29, 2010: Deadline for filing posthearing briefs and 
statements.
    September 15, 2010: Deadline for filing all other written 
submissions.
    March 1, 2011: Transmittal of Commission report to the Committee.

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://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project leader Joanna Bonarriva (202-
205-3312 or [email protected]) or deputy project leader Marin 
Weaver (202-205-3461 or [email protected]) for information 
specific to this investigation. For information on the legal aspects of 
this investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's Office 
of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or [email protected]). 
The media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External 
Relations (202-205-1819 or [email protected]). Hearing-
impaired individuals may obtain information on this matter by 
contacting the Commission's TDD terminal at 202-205-1810. General 
information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing 
its Internet server (http://www.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 and prepare a report on the conditions of 
competition in China's agricultural market and trade and their effect 
on U.S. agricultural exports. As requested, to the extent possible, the 
report will include--
    (1) An overview of China's agricultural market, including recent 
trends in production, consumption, and trade;
    (2) A description of the competitive factors affecting the 
agricultural sector in China, in such areas as costs of production, 
technology, domestic support and government programs related to 
agricultural markets, foreign direct investment policies, and pricing 
and marketing regimes;
    (3) An overview of China's participation in global agricultural 
export markets, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region and in those 
markets with which China has negotiated trade agreements;
    (4) A description of the principal measures affecting China's 
agricultural imports, including tariffs and non-tariff measures such as 
sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical barriers to trade, 
and;
    (5) A quantitative analysis of the economic effects of China's MFN 
tariffs, preferential tariffs negotiated under China's free trade 
agreements, and China's non-tariff measures on U.S. agricultural 
exports to China and on imports from the rest of the world.
    The Committee asked that the Commission's report cover the period 
2005-2009, or the period 2005 to the latest year for which data are 
available. The Committee requested that the Commission deliver its 
report by March 1, 2011.
    Public Hearing: The Commission will hold a public hearing in 
connection with this investigation at the U.S. International Trade 
Commission Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 
9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 22, 2010. Requests to appear at the public 
hearing should be filed with the Secretary no later than

[[Page 24970]]

5:15 p.m., May 25, 2010, in accordance with the requirements in the 
``Submissions'' section below. All prehearing briefs and statements 
should be filed with the Secretary not later than 5:15 p.m., June 3, 
2010; and all posthearing briefs and statements responding to matters 
raised at the hearing should be filed with the Secretary not later than 
5:15 p.m., June 29, 2010. All hearing-related briefs and statements 
should be filed in accordance with the requirements for filing written 
submissions set out below. In the event that, as of the close of 
business on May 25, 2010, 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 
Office of the Secretary (202-205-2000) after May 25, 2010, 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 file written submissions 
concerning this investigation. All written submissions should be 
addressed to the Secretary, and all such submissions (other than pre- 
and post-hearing briefs and statements) should be received not later 
than 5:15 p.m., September 15, 2010. 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 Office of 
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 
``nonconfidential'' 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 for inspection by interested parties.
    In its request letter, the Committee stated 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. Any confidential 
business information received by the Commission in this investigation 
and used in preparing this report will not be published in a manner 
that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: April 30, 2010.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2010-10650 Filed 5-5-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P