USDA Withdraws Increase in Fees for Quarantine and Inspection Services

(USDA APHIS)

The Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has withdrawn an interim rule that would have imposed an approximately 10% increase in the fees charged for certain agricultural quarantine and inspection services provided in connection with certain commercial vessels, trucks, railroad cars and aircraft arriving at ports in the U.S. customs territory. These fees had been slated to take effect November 1, but APHIS has decided to withdraw them in order to explore other regulatory alternatives. As a result, the subject user fees will remain as follows.

• commercial vessels - $494
• commercial trucks - $5.25 for a single border crossing and $105 for a transponder
• commercial railroad cars - $7.75 per car
• commercial aircraft - $70.50 per aircraft

Read the complete release here.