U.S. Boosts Import Tax on Foreign Lamb
The Clinton administration is imposing penalty tariffs on foreign lamb in an effort to protect U.S. producers threatened by imports from New Zealand and Australia.
Beginning next week, a border tax of 9% will be imposed on the first 31,851 metric tons, the amount of lamb imported last year. Shipments above that will carry a 40% tariff, the White House said Wednesday.
American ranchers had complained that current tariffs of less than 1% were too low to protect them from foreign competitors flooding the U.S. market.
Australia and New Zealand account for 95% of the lamb imported into the United States.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said that “there is no rational foundation for the American decision.”
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