USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

United States Department of Agriculture
Foreign Agricultural Service

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Import Programs

U.S. Sugar Programs

USDA administers three U.S. sugar import programs:

The Sugar-Containing Products Re-Export Program is designed to put U.S. manufacturers of sugar-containing products on a level playing field in the world market.
The Refined Sugar Re-Export Program is designed to facilitate the use of domestic refining capacity to export refined sugar into the world market.
The Sugar for the Production of Polyhydric Alcohol Program is established to provide world priced sugar to U.S. manufacturers of polyhydric alcohols.

U.S. Dairy Import Program

Import licensing is one of the tools USDA uses to administer the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) system for U.S. imports of dairy products. TRQ’s replaced Section 22 import quotas for dairy products on Jan. 1, 1995, as a result of the Uruguay Round Agreement.

U.S. Tariff Schedule

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) is the list of tariffs charged for all products imported into the United States. It classifies all goods according to the international Harmonized Commodity Coding and Classification System (Harmonized System) which has been established by the World Customs Organization.

U.S. Enquiry Point

FAS is the U.S. Enquiry Point as required under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures for all WTO member inquiries related to SPS regulations. It is also responsible for the Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards report (FAIRS), that aims to consolidate foreign import procedures for food and agricultural products. FAS provides technical information on allowable pesticide residues, food labeling and standards, sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, acceptable food additives, and certification and testing requirements of countries importing U.S. agricultural and food products.

Other Import Links

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service:

Import/Export Information

Permit Services

International Phytosanitary Standards

Traveler's Tips

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS):
Shipper and Exporter Assistance

Cotton International Programs

Fruit & Vegetable International Activities

Livestock and Seed International Programs

Science & Technology International Services

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS):

Importing to the United States

Export Certification Checklist

Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA):
Federal Grain Inspection Service

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Department of Homeland Security:

Travel Alerts and Restricted/Prohibited Goods

Traveling with Samples

U.S. Department of Commerce:

Bureau of Industry and Security (formerly Bureau of Export Administration)

International Trade Data System:

Import Resources