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[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 125 (Thursday, June 27, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33483-33484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16464]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Secretary of Agriculture's Special Cotton Import Quota 
Announcement Number 15

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: A special import quota for upland cotton equal to 42,728,074 
kilograms (94,199,355 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. 
The quota is referenced as the Secretary of Agriculture's Special 
Cotton Import Quota Announcement Number 15, effective June 10, 1996, 
and is set forth in subheading 9903.52.15, subchapter III, chapter 99 
of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).

DATES: The quota is effective as of June 10, 1996, and applies to 
upland cotton purchased not later than September 7, 1996 (90 days from 
the date the quota was established), and entered into the United States 
not later than December 6, 1996 (180 days from the date the quota was 
established).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janise Zygmont, Farm Service Agency, 
United States Department of Agriculture, Ag Code 0515, PO 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

[[Page 33484]]

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 April 25, 1996. 
Therefore, a quota referenced as the Secretary of Agriculture's Special 
Cotton Import Quota Announcement Number 15, effective June 10, 1996, is 
hereby established.
    Because there are only 20 subheadings available for designating 
upland cotton special import quotas in subchapter III of chapter 99 of 
the HTS, only 20 such quotas can be in effect at one time. Each 
subheading corresponds to a Secretary of Agriculture's Special Cotton 
Import Quota Announcement specifying that a particular amount of upland 
cotton may be imported during a particular 180-day period. The special 
import quota described in this notice cannot take effect until HTS 
subheading 9903.52.15 becomes available upon the expiration of the 
Secretary of Agriculture's Special Cotton Import Quota Announcement 
Number 15, effective December 13, 1995, through June 9, 1996. 
Therefore, the special import quota described in this notice opens on 
June 10, 1996, the day after the previous special import quota 15 ends.
    The quota amount, 42,728,074 kilograms (94,199,355 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--January 1996 through March 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, Public Law 104-127 and U.S. Note 6(a), 
Subchapter III, Chapter 99 of the HTS.

    Signed at Washington, D.C., on June 20, 1996.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-16464 Filed 6-26-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-M
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