Meat Imports Notice of Intention To Suspend Import Limitations.

INTENT TO SUSPEND MEAT IMPORT LIMITATIONS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 1981

The Act of August 22, 1964, as amended (78 Stat. 594; 93 Stat. 1291; 19 U.S.C. 1202 note) (the "Act"), requires the imposition of limitations on imports of certain meat articles if expected imports in any calendar year exceed 110 percent of the allowable import level as defined by the Act. However, the Act further provides that the President may, after giving 30 days notice and opportunity for public comment, suspend the import limitations if certain controlling factors specified in the Act are present.

On November 26, 1980, the Secretary of Agriculture published in the FEDERAL REGISTER (45 FR 78740) his estimate of (I) the allowable level of imports of fresh, chilled or frozen cattle meat (TSUS 106.10), fresh, chilled or frozen meat of goats and sheep, except lambs (TSUS 106.22 and 106.25), and prepared fresh, chilled or frozen, but not otherwise preserved, beef and veal, except sausage (TSUS 107.55 and 107.62), calculated according to the formula provided in the Act, and (2) the level of imports of those articles in the absence of imposition of import limitations. The allowable level of imports announced is 1,315 million pounds. The expected level of imports announced is 1,458 million pounds. Since the expected level of imports is more than 110 percent of the allowable level of imports, Section 2(f) (1) of the Act requires the imposition of import limitations.

The Act permits the President to suspend the import limitations on meat when the supply of meat articles will be inadequate to meet domestic demand at reasonable prices if the quotient determined in accordance with Section 2(d) of the Act is equal to or greater than 1.0. The Secretary has calculated this quotient for calendar year 1981 to be 1.16.

Information has been submitted to me which indicates that the supply of meat in the United States for calendar year 1981 will be inadequate to meet domestic demand at reasonable prices.

Therefore, in accordance with Section 2(g) of the Act, I, Jimmy Carter, President of the United States of America, hereby give notice that I intend to suspend the import limitations ordinarily required by the Act, such suspension to remain in effect for the calendar year 1981 unless changed circumstances necessitate further action under the Act.

Comments may be submitted within 30 days to the Under Secretary for International Affairs and Commodity Programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 6616, 14th and Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250, Attention of Mr. R. E. Anderson, for analysis and referral for my consideration. The Draft Impact Statement analyzing this action is available on request from the same person.

JIMMY CARTER

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 12:12 p.m., November 28, 1980]