§ 3601 — Administration Of Tariff-rate Quotas

(a) In implementing the tariff-rate quotas set out in Schedule XX for the entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption of goods in the United States, the President shall take such action as may be necessary to ensure that imports of agricultural products do not disrupt the orderly marketing of commodities in the United States. (b) Where imports of an agricultural product are subject to a tariff-rate quota, and where the President determines and proclaims that the supply of the same or directly competitive or substitutable agricultural product will be inadequate, because of a natural disaster, disease, or major national market disruption, to meet domestic demand at reasonable prices, the President may temporarily increase the quantity of imports of the agricultural product that is subject to the in-quota rate of duty established under the tariff-rate quota. (c) The Secretary of Agriculture shall monitor the domestic supply of agricultural products subject to a tariff-rate quota as the Secretary considers appropriate and shall advise the President when the domestic supply of the products and substitutable products combined with the estimated imports of the products under the tariff-rate quota may be inadequate to meet domestic demand at reasonable prices. (1) The President may, subject to terms and conditions determined appropriate by the President, provide that the entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption in the United States of an agricultural product shall not be subject to the over-quota rate of duty established under a tariff-rate quota if the agricultural product— (A) is imported by, or for the account of, any agency of the United States or of any foreign embassy; (B) is imported as a sample for taking orders, for the personal use of the importer, or for the testing of equipment; (C) is a commercial sample or is entered for exhibition, display, or sampling at a trade fair or for research; or (D) is a blended syrup provided for in subheadings 1702.20.28, 1702.30.28, 1702.40.28, 1702.60.28, 1702.90.58, 1806.20.92, 1806.20.93, 1806.90.38, 1806.90.40, 2101.10.38, 2101.20.38, 2106.90.38, or 2106.90.67 of Schedule XX, if entered from a foreign trade zone by a foreign trade zone user whose facilities were in operation on June 1, 1990, to the extent that the annual quantity entered into the customs territory from such zone does not contain a quantity of sugar of nondomestic origin greater than the quantity authorized by the Foreign Trade Zones Board for processing in that zone during calendar year 1985. (2) Subject to the consultation and layover requirements of section 3524 of this title, the President may proclaim a modification to the coverage of a tariff-rate quota for any agricultural product if the President determines the modification is necessary or appropriate to conform the tariff-rate quota to Schedule XX as a result of a reclassification of any item by the Secretary of the Treasury. (3) The President may allocate the in-quota quantity of a tariff-rate quota for any agricultural product among supplying countries or customs areas and may modify any allocation as determined appropriate by the President. (4) The President may proclaim an increase in the tariff-rate quota for beef if the President determines that an increase is necessary to implement— (A) the March 24, 1994, agreement between the United States and Argentina; or (B) the March 9, 1994, agreement between the United States and Uruguay. (5) The President is authorized to proclaim additional United States note 3 to chapter 17 of the HTS, and to proclaim the modifications to the note, as determined appropriate by the President to reflect Schedule XX.