U.S. Boosts Import Tax on Foreign Lamb
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WASHINGTON — 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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