Fees for Destination Market Inspections of Fresh Fruits, Vegetables and Other Products

Résumé

This proposed rule would revise the regulations governing the inspection and certification for fresh fruits, vegetables and other products by increasing by approximately 14 percent for most of the fees charged for the inspection of these products at destination markets. The fees for inspecting multiple lots of the same product during inspections would be increased more significantly and the per package fees for dock-side inspections would be increased and changed from a three interval schedule, based on weight, to a two interval schedule based on different weight thresholds. These revisions are necessary in order to recover, as nearly as practicable, the costs of performing inspection services at destination markets under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. The fees charged to persons required to have inspections on imported commodities in accordance with the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 and for imported peanuts under the Agricultural Act of 1949 would also be affected.