USDA Gives Ag-Air a Break; No Increase in Service Fees

Could this little perk to BigAg be a part of the plan to get some "free trade" going for export of US meat?

Air Transport Association Statement on USDA Withdrawal of Inspection Fee Increase
Mon Nov 2, 2009 1:06pm EST


Air Transport Association Statement on USDA Withdrawal of Inspection Fee
Increase



WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Air Transport Association of
America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines,
today applauded a decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to withdraw the recently published
interim rule to increase the fees charged for certain agricultural quarantine
and inspection services.

"We are pleased that the Department of Agriculture reassessed its plans to
implement a fee increase on international airline passengers and we hope that
any future consideration of such a change will be done in consultation with
the airlines, who question the need for another fee increase," said ATA
President and CEO James C. May.

The rule, which was scheduled to take effect on Nov. 1, 2009, would have
imposed a fee increase on international airline passengers and air carriers.
According to the USDA, this increase would have raised an additional $40
million annually from passengers and $7 million annually from air carriers --
above and beyond the $480 million annually currently collected from passengers
and carriers.

ATA airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all
U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. For additional industry information,
visit www.airlines.org.



SOURCE Air Transport Association

Elizabeth Merida, +1-202-626-4205 or David Castelveter, +1-202-626-4033, both
of Air Transport Association






http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS170152+02-Nov-2009+PRN20091102