Beef Promotion and Research Rules and Regulations, 24455-24457 [2017-10986]

Download as PDF 24455 Rules and Regulations Federal Register Vol. 82, No. 102 Tuesday, May 30, 2017 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510. The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service 7 CFR Part 1260 [No. AMS–LPS–15–0084] Beef Promotion and Research Rules and Regulations Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Final rule. AGENCY: This final rule amends the Beef Promotion and Research Order (Order) established under the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 (Act) by adding six Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes for imported veal and veal products and updating assessment levels for imported veal and veal products based on revised determinations of live animal equivalencies. In addition to the foregoing, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is amending the Order’s definition of ‘‘Imported beef or beef products’’ by deleting its reference to tariff numbers that are no longer in use and obsolete. DATES: Effective June 29, 2017. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Dinkel, Agricultural Marketing Specialist, Research and Promotion Division, Livestock, Poultry, and Seed Program; AMS, USDA; Room 2610–S, STOP 0249, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250–0249; fax (202) 720–1125; telephone (301) 352– 7497; or email Michael.Dinkel@ ams.usda.gov. SUMMARY: sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Executive Orders 12866 and 13771, and Regulatory Flexibility Act This rule does not meet the definition of a significant regulatory action contained in section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, and is not subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Additionally, because VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:28 May 26, 2017 Jkt 241001 this rule does not meet the definition of a significant regulatory action it does not trigger the requirements contained in Executive Order 13771. See OMB’s Memorandum titled ‘‘Interim Guidance Implementing Section 2 of the Executive Order of January 30, 2017, titled ‘Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs’ ’’ (February 2, 2017). Pursuant to the requirements set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) [5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.], the Acting Administrator of AMS has considered the economic effect of this action on small entities and has determined that this final rule does not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small business entities. The effect of the Order upon small entities was discussed in the July 18, 1986, Federal Register [51 FR 26132]. The purpose of RFA is to fit regulatory actions to the scale of businesses subject to such actions in order that small businesses will not be unduly burdened. Based on conversations with importing companies, AMS estimates that approximately 270 importers import beef and beef products and veal and veal products into the U.S. and about 198 importers import live cattle into the U.S. The majority of these operations subject to the Order are considered small businesses under the criteria established by the Small Business Administration (SBA) [13 CFR 121.201]. SBA defines small agricultural service firms as those having annual receipts of $7.5 million or less. This final rule imposes no significant burden on the industry. Importers are already required to pay assessments. It merely adds six HTS codes for imported veal and veal products and updates assessment rates for imported veal and veal products based on revised determinations of live animal equivalencies. The addition of HTS codes reflects an increase of imported veal and veal products into the U.S. Accordingly, the Acting Administrator of AMS has determined that this action does not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. Executive Order 12988 This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform. This rule is not intended to have a retroactive effect. Section 11 of the Act [7 U.S.C. 2910] provides that nothing in the Act may be PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 construed to preempt or supersede any other program relating to beef promotion organized and operated under the laws of the U.S. or any state. There are no administrative proceedings that must be exhausted prior to any judicial challenge to the provisions of this rule. Paperwork Reduction Act In accordance with OMB regulations [5 CFR 1320] that implement the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 [44 U.S.C. Chapter 35], the information collection and recordkeeping requirements contained in the Order and accompanying Rules and Regulations have previously been approved by OMB under OMB control number 0581–0093. Background The Act authorized the establishment of a national beef promotion and research program. The final Order was published in the Federal Register on July 18, 1986 [51 FR 21632], and the collection of assessments began on October 1, 1986. The program is administered by the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board (Board), appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) from industry nominations, and composed of 100 cattle producers and importers. The program is funded by a $1-per-head assessment on producers selling cattle in the U.S. as well as an equivalent assessment on importers of cattle, beef, and beef products. Importers pay assessments on imported cattle, beef, and beef products. U.S. Customs and Border Protection collects and remits the assessment on imported cattle, beef, and beef products. The term ‘‘importer’’ is defined as ‘‘any person who imports cattle, beef, or beef products from outside the United States’’ [7 CFR 1260.117]. Imported beef or beef products is defined as ‘‘products which are imported into the United States which the Secretary determines contain a substantial amount of beef including those products which have been assigned one or more of the following numbers in the Tariff Schedule of the United States’’ [7 CFR 1260.121]. On March 16, 2016, AMS published a proposed rule in the Federal Register [81 FR 14022] amending 7 CFR 1260.172 of the Order to add six HTS codes for imported veal and veal E:\FR\FM\30MYR1.SGM 30MYR1 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 102 / Tuesday, May 30, 2017 / Rules and Regulations For the reasons set forth in the preamble, AMS amends 7 CFR part 1260 as follows: Administrative practice and procedure, Advertising, Agricultural research, Imports, Marketing agreement, Meat and meat products, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Summary of Comments On August 23, 2016, AMS published a proposed rule with a request for public comment. AMS received four timely comments. Three comments were received from the Board and national veal and beef industry organizations that were relevant to the proposed rule. One comment was outside the scope of the rulemaking. Three commenters discussed the conversion factor for bone-in and boneless veal cuts. The commenters agreed with USDA’s conversion factor for bone-in veal cuts. However, the commenters disagreed with USDA’s conversion factor used for boneless imported veal cuts. In the proposed rule, AMS used the conversion factor of 1.32 based on Table 7 (Factors used to convert pounds of carcass weight to retail and trimmed, boneless equivalent weights for red meats) of the ‘‘Economic Research Service Agricultural Handbook Number 697, Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their Products (June 1992)’’ (Handbook). However, the three commenters suggested that AMS should use the conversion factor of 1.46 for veal grading choice and good from Table 10 (Factors for converting pounds of boneless meat to untrimmed bone-in equivalent) of the Handbook because the conversion factor of 1.32 converts the boneless veal back to 0.904 pounds of bone-in veal rather than one pound. The conversion factor of 1.46 (proposed by the commenters) converts 0.685 pounds of boneless veal back to one pound of bone-in veal based on the equation: 0.685(1.46) = 1.0. AMS believes the comments have merit. Accordingly, the new assessment rates for veal and veal products will be: Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2901–2911 and 7 U.S.C. 7401. 2. Revise § 1260.121 to read as follows: ■ PART 1260—BEEF PROMOTION AND RESEARCH § 1260.121 1. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 1260 continues to read as follows: Imported beef or beef products means products which are imported into the United States which the Secretary ■ VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:28 May 26, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\30MYR1.SGM Imported beef or beef products 30MYR1 ER30MY17.011</GPH> weather effects, and feed prices. In this final rule, the average dressed weight used to determine the assessment on imported veal and veal products is 154 pounds. In order to convert carcasses and cuts back to a live animal equivalency, conversion factors are used. The conversion factor takes into account what is lost (feet, head, tail, hide, internal organs, and bone for boneless product) as the veal is processed into carcasses, bone-in cuts, and boneless cuts. For bone-in carcasses and cuts, a oneto-one ratio is used to convert product weight to a live animal equivalent. For boneless veal cuts, the conversion factor ‘‘adds back’’ the weight of the bones removed from the product. While the regulatory text in the proposed rule [81 FR 57495] includes two brief tables containing only the specific changes and additions, the regulatory text in this final rule includes comprehensive tables incorporating the changes and additions within previously existing tables that were never intended to be deleted. Finally, upon further review of this final rule and the Order, AMS discovered that the seven digit HTS codes listed under section 1260.121, which defines the term ‘‘Imported beef or beef products,’’ are no longer in use and obsolete. Those codes were replaced by 10 digit HTS codes currently found in section 7 CFR 1262.172(b)(2) of the Order. As a result, AMS is amending the definition by removing those obsolete HTS code references. No other changes are made to the definition. List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1260 sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES products. On May 6, 2016, AMS announced in a Notice to Trade that it was withdrawing the proposed rule because an error was discovered in the imported veal carcass weight. AMS also announced at that time that it intended to publish another proposed rule with the correct carcass weight and to include the formula and an explanation of how the new assessment rates are calculated. On June 30, 2016, AMS published the withdrawal notice in the Federal Register [81 FR 42576] and on August 23, 2016, published the corrected proposed rule in the Federal Register [81 FR 57495]. The Act requires that assessments on imported beef and beef products and veal and veal products be determined by converting such imports into live animal equivalents to ascertain the corresponding number of head of cattle. Carcass weight is the principle factor in calculating live animal equivalents. Prior to publishing the March 16, 2016, proposed rule, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) received information from the Board regarding assessments on imported veal. The Board requested expanding the number of HTS codes for imported veal and veal products in order to capture product that is not currently being assessed and to update the live animal equivalency rate on imported veal to reflect the same assessment as domestic veal and veal products. The Board also suggested that AMS update the dressed veal weight to better reflect current dressed veal weights. The Board recommended using an average dressed veal weight from 2010 to the most current data. The Board stated that establishing an average over this period of time takes into account short-term highs and lows due to the cattle cycle, ER30MY17.010</GPH> 24456 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 102 / Tuesday, May 30, 2017 / Rules and Regulations determines contain a substantial amount of beef including those products which have been assigned one or more numbers in the Tariff Schedule of the United States. ■ 3. Amend § 1260.172 by revising paragraph (b)(2) to read as follows: § 1260.172 Assessments. * * * * * (b) * * * (2) The assessment rates for imported cattle, beef, beef products, are as follows: IMPORTED LIVE CATTLE HTS No. 0102.10.0010 0102.10.0020 0102.10.0030 0102.10.0050 0102.90.2011 0102.90.2012 0102.90.4024 0102.90.4028 0102.90.4034 0102.90.4038 0102.90.4054 0102.90.4058 0102.90.4062 0102.90.4064 0102.90.4066 0102.90.4068 0102.90.4072 0102.90.4074 0102.90.4082 0102.90.4084 ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ Assessment rate per head $1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 IMPORTED BEEF AND BEEF PRODUCTS HTS No. Assessment rate per kg IMPORTED BEEF AND BEEF PRODUCTS—Continued Assessment rate per kg HTS No. 0202.10.5010 0202.10.5090 0202.20.0200 0202.20.0400 0202.20.0600 0202.20.1000 0202.20.3000 0202.20.5000 0202.20.8000 0202.30.0200 0202.30.0400 0202.30.0600 0202.30.1000 0202.30.3000 0202.30.5000 0202.30.5010 0202.30.5020 0202.30.8000 0206.10.0000 0206.21.0000 0206.22.0000 0206.29.0000 0210.20.0000 1601.00.4010 1601.00.4090 1601.00.6020 1602.50.0900 1602.50.1020 1602.50.1040 1602.50.2020 1602.50.2040 1602.50.6000 * * ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ * * .01431558 .00379102 .00530743 .00511787 .00379102 .00530743 .00511787 .00379102 .00379102 .00530743 .00511787 .00527837 .00530743 .00511787 .00511787 .02090075 .02090075 .00379102 .00379102 .00379102 .00379102 .00379102 .00615701 .00473877 .00473877 .00473877 .00663428 .00663428 .00663428 .00701388 .00701388 .00720293 * Dated: May 23, 2017. Bruce Summers, Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service. [FR Doc. 2017–10986 Filed 5–26–17; 8:45 am] sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 0201.10.0510 0201.10.0590 0201.10.1010 0201.10.1090 0201.10.5010 0201.10.5090 0201.20.0200 0201.20.0400 0201.20.0600 0201.20.1000 0201.20.3000 0201.20.5000 0201.20.5010 0201.20.5020 0201.20.8090 0201.30.0200 0201.30.0400 0201.30.0600 0201.30.1000 0201.30.3000 0201.30.5000 0201.30.5010 0201.30.5020 0201.30.8090 0202.10.0510 0202.10.0590 0202.10.1010 0202.10.1090 VerDate Sep<11>2014 ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ 17:28 May 26, 2017 .01431558 .00379102 .01431558 .00379102 .01431558 .00511787 .00530743 .00511787 .00379102 .00530743 .00511787 .00379102 .01431558 .01431558 .00379102 .00530743 .00511787 .00379102 .00530743 .00511787 .00511787 .02090075 .02090075 .00511787 .01431558 .00379102 .01431558 .00370102 Jkt 241001 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 10 CFR Part 72 [NRC–2016–0254] RIN 3150–AJ88 List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: TN Americas, LLC, NUHOMS® EOS Dry Spent Fuel Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1042 Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Direct final rule; confirmation of effective date. AGENCY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of June 7, 2017, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on March 24, 2017. The direct final rule amended the NRC’s SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 24457 spent fuel storage regulations by revising the ‘‘List of approved spent fuel storage casks’’ to add the TN Americas, LLC (TN Americas), NUHOMS® Extended Optimized Storage (EOS) Dry Spent Fuel Storage System as Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1042. DATES: Effective Date: The effective date of June 7, 2017, for the direct final rule published March 24, 2017 (82 FR 14987), is confirmed. ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2016–0254 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain publicly-available information related to this action by any of the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2016–0254. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. • NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may obtain publiclyavailable documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ adams.html. To begin the search, select ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents at the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward Lohr, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415– 0253; email: Edward.Lohr@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 24, 2017 (82 FR 14987), the NRC published a direct final rule amending § 72.214 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations by revising the ‘‘List of approved spent fuel storage casks’’ to add the TN Americas NUHOMS® EOS Dry Spent Fuel Storage System as CoC No. 1042. The NUHOMS® EOS System provides E:\FR\FM\30MYR1.SGM 30MYR1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 102 (Tuesday, May 30, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 24455-24457]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10986]



========================================================================
Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed 
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published 
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents. 

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 102 / Tuesday, May 30, 2017 / Rules 
and Regulations

[[Page 24455]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 1260

[No. AMS-LPS-15-0084]


Beef Promotion and Research Rules and Regulations

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This final rule amends the Beef Promotion and Research Order 
(Order) established under the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 
(Act) by adding six Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes for imported 
veal and veal products and updating assessment levels for imported veal 
and veal products based on revised determinations of live animal 
equivalencies. In addition to the foregoing, the Agricultural Marketing 
Service (AMS) is amending the Order's definition of ``Imported beef or 
beef products'' by deleting its reference to tariff numbers that are no 
longer in use and obsolete.

DATES: Effective June 29, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Dinkel, Agricultural Marketing 
Specialist, Research and Promotion Division, Livestock, Poultry, and 
Seed Program; AMS, USDA; Room 2610-S, STOP 0249, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-0249; fax (202) 720-1125; telephone 
(301) 352-7497; or email Michael.Dinkel@ams.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Executive Orders 12866 and 13771, and Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This rule does not meet the definition of a significant regulatory 
action contained in section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, and is not 
subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 
Additionally, because this rule does not meet the definition of a 
significant regulatory action it does not trigger the requirements 
contained in Executive Order 13771. See OMB's Memorandum titled 
``Interim Guidance Implementing Section 2 of the Executive Order of 
January 30, 2017, titled `Reducing Regulation and Controlling 
Regulatory Costs' '' (February 2, 2017). Pursuant to the requirements 
set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) [5 U.S.C. 601 et 
seq.], the Acting Administrator of AMS has considered the economic 
effect of this action on small entities and has determined that this 
final rule does not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small business entities. The effect of the Order upon small 
entities was discussed in the July 18, 1986, Federal Register [51 FR 
26132]. The purpose of RFA is to fit regulatory actions to the scale of 
businesses subject to such actions in order that small businesses will 
not be unduly burdened.
    Based on conversations with importing companies, AMS estimates that 
approximately 270 importers import beef and beef products and veal and 
veal products into the U.S. and about 198 importers import live cattle 
into the U.S. The majority of these operations subject to the Order are 
considered small businesses under the criteria established by the Small 
Business Administration (SBA) [13 CFR 121.201]. SBA defines small 
agricultural service firms as those having annual receipts of $7.5 
million or less.
    This final rule imposes no significant burden on the industry. 
Importers are already required to pay assessments. It merely adds six 
HTS codes for imported veal and veal products and updates assessment 
rates for imported veal and veal products based on revised 
determinations of live animal equivalencies. The addition of HTS codes 
reflects an increase of imported veal and veal products into the U.S. 
Accordingly, the Acting Administrator of AMS has determined that this 
action does not have a significant impact on a substantial number of 
small entities.

Executive Order 12988

    This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, 
Civil Justice Reform. This rule is not intended to have a retroactive 
effect.
    Section 11 of the Act [7 U.S.C. 2910] provides that nothing in the 
Act may be construed to preempt or supersede any other program relating 
to beef promotion organized and operated under the laws of the U.S. or 
any state. There are no administrative proceedings that must be 
exhausted prior to any judicial challenge to the provisions of this 
rule.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with OMB regulations [5 CFR 1320] that implement the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 [44 U.S.C. Chapter 35], the information 
collection and recordkeeping requirements contained in the Order and 
accompanying Rules and Regulations have previously been approved by OMB 
under OMB control number 0581-0093.

Background

    The Act authorized the establishment of a national beef promotion 
and research program. The final Order was published in the Federal 
Register on July 18, 1986 [51 FR 21632], and the collection of 
assessments began on October 1, 1986. The program is administered by 
the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board (Board), appointed by 
the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) from industry nominations, and 
composed of 100 cattle producers and importers. The program is funded 
by a $1-per-head assessment on producers selling cattle in the U.S. as 
well as an equivalent assessment on importers of cattle, beef, and beef 
products.
    Importers pay assessments on imported cattle, beef, and beef 
products. U.S. Customs and Border Protection collects and remits the 
assessment on imported cattle, beef, and beef products. The term 
``importer'' is defined as ``any person who imports cattle, beef, or 
beef products from outside the United States'' [7 CFR 1260.117]. 
Imported beef or beef products is defined as ``products which are 
imported into the United States which the Secretary determines contain 
a substantial amount of beef including those products which have been 
assigned one or more of the following numbers in the Tariff Schedule of 
the United States'' [7 CFR 1260.121].
    On March 16, 2016, AMS published a proposed rule in the Federal 
Register [81 FR 14022] amending 7 CFR 1260.172 of the Order to add six 
HTS codes for imported veal and veal

[[Page 24456]]

products. On May 6, 2016, AMS announced in a Notice to Trade that it 
was withdrawing the proposed rule because an error was discovered in 
the imported veal carcass weight. AMS also announced at that time that 
it intended to publish another proposed rule with the correct carcass 
weight and to include the formula and an explanation of how the new 
assessment rates are calculated. On June 30, 2016, AMS published the 
withdrawal notice in the Federal Register [81 FR 42576] and on August 
23, 2016, published the corrected proposed rule in the Federal Register 
[81 FR 57495].
    The Act requires that assessments on imported beef and beef 
products and veal and veal products be determined by converting such 
imports into live animal equivalents to ascertain the corresponding 
number of head of cattle. Carcass weight is the principle factor in 
calculating live animal equivalents.
    Prior to publishing the March 16, 2016, proposed rule, the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) received information from the Board 
regarding assessments on imported veal. The Board requested expanding 
the number of HTS codes for imported veal and veal products in order to 
capture product that is not currently being assessed and to update the 
live animal equivalency rate on imported veal to reflect the same 
assessment as domestic veal and veal products. The Board also suggested 
that AMS update the dressed veal weight to better reflect current 
dressed veal weights. The Board recommended using an average dressed 
veal weight from 2010 to the most current data. The Board stated that 
establishing an average over this period of time takes into account 
short-term highs and lows due to the cattle cycle, weather effects, and 
feed prices. In this final rule, the average dressed weight used to 
determine the assessment on imported veal and veal products is 154 
pounds.
    In order to convert carcasses and cuts back to a live animal 
equivalency, conversion factors are used. The conversion factor takes 
into account what is lost (feet, head, tail, hide, internal organs, and 
bone for boneless product) as the veal is processed into carcasses, 
bone-in cuts, and boneless cuts.
    For bone-in carcasses and cuts, a one-to-one ratio is used to 
convert product weight to a live animal equivalent. For boneless veal 
cuts, the conversion factor ``adds back'' the weight of the bones 
removed from the product.
    While the regulatory text in the proposed rule [81 FR 57495] 
includes two brief tables containing only the specific changes and 
additions, the regulatory text in this final rule includes 
comprehensive tables incorporating the changes and additions within 
previously existing tables that were never intended to be deleted.
    Finally, upon further review of this final rule and the Order, AMS 
discovered that the seven digit HTS codes listed under section 
1260.121, which defines the term ``Imported beef or beef products,'' 
are no longer in use and obsolete. Those codes were replaced by 10 
digit HTS codes currently found in section 7 CFR 1262.172(b)(2) of the 
Order. As a result, AMS is amending the definition by removing those 
obsolete HTS code references. No other changes are made to the 
definition.

Summary of Comments

    On August 23, 2016, AMS published a proposed rule with a request 
for public comment. AMS received four timely comments. Three comments 
were received from the Board and national veal and beef industry 
organizations that were relevant to the proposed rule. One comment was 
outside the scope of the rulemaking.
    Three commenters discussed the conversion factor for bone-in and 
boneless veal cuts. The commenters agreed with USDA's conversion factor 
for bone-in veal cuts. However, the commenters disagreed with USDA's 
conversion factor used for boneless imported veal cuts.
    In the proposed rule, AMS used the conversion factor of 1.32 based 
on Table 7 (Factors used to convert pounds of carcass weight to retail 
and trimmed, boneless equivalent weights for red meats) of the 
``Economic Research Service Agricultural Handbook Number 697, Weights, 
Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their 
Products (June 1992)'' (Handbook). However, the three commenters 
suggested that AMS should use the conversion factor of 1.46 for veal 
grading choice and good from Table 10 (Factors for converting pounds of 
boneless meat to untrimmed bone-in equivalent) of the Handbook because 
the conversion factor of 1.32 converts the boneless veal back to 0.904 
pounds of bone-in veal rather than one pound. The conversion factor of 
1.46 (proposed by the commenters) converts 0.685 pounds of boneless 
veal back to one pound of bone-in veal based on the equation: 
0.685(1.46) = 1.0.
    AMS believes the comments have merit. Accordingly, the new 
assessment rates for veal and veal products will be:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR30MY17.010

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR30MY17.011

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1260

    Administrative practice and procedure, Advertising, Agricultural 
research, Imports, Marketing agreement, Meat and meat products, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, AMS amends 7 CFR part 
1260 as follows:

PART 1260--BEEF PROMOTION AND RESEARCH

0
1. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 1260 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2901-2911 and 7 U.S.C. 7401.


0
2. Revise Sec.  1260.121 to read as follows:


Sec.  1260.121  Imported beef or beef products

    Imported beef or beef products means products which are imported 
into the United States which the Secretary

[[Page 24457]]

determines contain a substantial amount of beef including those 
products which have been assigned one or more numbers in the Tariff 
Schedule of the United States.

0
3. Amend Sec.  1260.172 by revising paragraph (b)(2) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  1260.172  Assessments.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) The assessment rates for imported cattle, beef, beef products, 
are as follows:

                          Imported Live Cattle
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Assessment
                         HTS No.                           rate per head
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0102.10.0010............................................           $1.00
0102.10.0020............................................            1.00
0102.10.0030............................................            1.00
0102.10.0050............................................            1.00
0102.90.2011............................................            1.00
0102.90.2012............................................            1.00
0102.90.4024............................................            1.00
0102.90.4028............................................            1.00
0102.90.4034............................................            1.00
0102.90.4038............................................            1.00
0102.90.4054............................................            1.00
0102.90.4058............................................            1.00
0102.90.4062............................................            1.00
0102.90.4064............................................            1.00
0102.90.4066............................................            1.00
0102.90.4068............................................            1.00
0102.90.4072............................................            1.00
0102.90.4074............................................            1.00
0102.90.4082............................................            1.00
0102.90.4084............................................            1.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                     Imported Beef and Beef Products
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Assessment
                         HTS No.                            rate per kg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0201.10.0510............................................       .01431558
0201.10.0590............................................       .00379102
0201.10.1010............................................       .01431558
0201.10.1090............................................       .00379102
0201.10.5010............................................       .01431558
0201.10.5090............................................       .00511787
0201.20.0200............................................       .00530743
0201.20.0400............................................       .00511787
0201.20.0600............................................       .00379102
0201.20.1000............................................       .00530743
0201.20.3000............................................       .00511787
0201.20.5000............................................       .00379102
0201.20.5010............................................       .01431558
0201.20.5020............................................       .01431558
0201.20.8090............................................       .00379102
0201.30.0200............................................       .00530743
0201.30.0400............................................       .00511787
0201.30.0600............................................       .00379102
0201.30.1000............................................       .00530743
0201.30.3000............................................       .00511787
0201.30.5000............................................       .00511787
0201.30.5010............................................       .02090075
0201.30.5020............................................       .02090075
0201.30.8090............................................       .00511787
0202.10.0510............................................       .01431558
0202.10.0590............................................       .00379102
0202.10.1010............................................       .01431558
0202.10.1090............................................       .00370102
0202.10.5010............................................       .01431558
0202.10.5090............................................       .00379102
0202.20.0200............................................       .00530743
0202.20.0400............................................       .00511787
0202.20.0600............................................       .00379102
0202.20.1000............................................       .00530743
0202.20.3000............................................       .00511787
0202.20.5000............................................       .00379102
0202.20.8000............................................       .00379102
0202.30.0200............................................       .00530743
0202.30.0400............................................       .00511787
0202.30.0600............................................       .00527837
0202.30.1000............................................       .00530743
0202.30.3000............................................       .00511787
0202.30.5000............................................       .00511787
0202.30.5010............................................       .02090075
0202.30.5020............................................       .02090075
0202.30.8000............................................       .00379102
0206.10.0000............................................       .00379102
0206.21.0000............................................       .00379102
0206.22.0000............................................       .00379102
0206.29.0000............................................       .00379102
0210.20.0000............................................       .00615701
1601.00.4010............................................       .00473877
1601.00.4090............................................       .00473877
1601.00.6020............................................       .00473877
1602.50.0900............................................       .00663428
1602.50.1020............................................       .00663428
1602.50.1040............................................       .00663428
1602.50.2020............................................       .00701388
1602.50.2040............................................       .00701388
1602.50.6000............................................       .00720293
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *

    Dated: May 23, 2017.
Bruce Summers,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-10986 Filed 5-26-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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