Proclamation 4469

October 9, 1976

Section 2(a) of the Act of August 22, 1961 (73 Stat. 391, 19 U.S.C. 1202 Note) (hereinafter referred to as the Act), declares that it is the policy of the Congress that the aggregate quantity of the articles specified in item 106.10 (relating to fresh, chilled, or frozen cattle meat) and item 106.20 (relating to fresh, chilled, or frozen meat of goats and sheep (except lambs)) of the tariff schedules of the United States (hereinafter referred to as meat) which may be imported into the United States in any calendar year beginning after December 31, 1964, shall not exceed a quantity to be computed as prescribed in that section (hereinafter referred to as adjusted base quantity).

Section. 2(b) of the Act provides that the Secretary of Agriculture for each calendar year after 1964 shall estimate and publish the adjusted base quantity for such calendar year and shall estimate and publish quarterly the aggregate quantity of meat which in the absence of the limitations under the Act would be imported during such calendar year (hereinafter referred to as potential aggregate imports).

The Secretary of Agriculture, pursuant to Section 2(a) and (b) of the Act estimated on December 31, 1975 (41 F.R. 1095) the adjusted base quantity of meat for the calendar year 1976 to be 1,120.9 million pounds and has estimated (in the 1976 fourth quarterly estimate) the potential aggregate imports of meat for 1976 to be 1,250 million pounds.

The potential aggregate imports of meat for the calendar year 1976, as estimated by the Secretary of Agriculture, exceeds 110 percent of the adjusted base quantity of meat for the calendar year 1976 estimated by the Secretary of Agriculture and no limitation under the Act is in effect with respect to the calendar year 1976.

Section 2(c) (1) of the Act requires the President in such circumstances to limit by proclamation the total quantity of meat which may be entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, during the calendar year, to the adjusted base quantity estimated for such calendar year by the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to Section 2 (b) (1) of the Act, which is 1,130.9 million pounds.

Section 2(d) of the Act provides that the President may increase the total quantity proclaimed pursuant to Section 2(c) of the Act if he determines and proclaims that such action is required by overriding economic or national security interests of the United States, giving special weight to the importance to the nation of the economic well-being of the domestic livestock industry.

Section 2(d) of the Act further provides that such increase shall be in such amount as the President determines and proclaims to be necessary to carry out the purposes of Section 2 (d).

Now, Therefore, I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President and pursuant to Section 2 of the Act, do hereby proclaim as follows:

1. In conformity with and as required by Section 2(c) of the Act, the total quantity of the articles specified in item 106.10 (relating to fresh, chilled, or frozen cattle meat) and item 106.20 (relating to fresh, chilled, or frozen meat of goats and sheep_ (except lambs) of Part 2B, schedule 1 of the tariff schedules of the United States which may be entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption during the calendar year 1976 is limited to 1,120.9 million pounds.

2. Pursuant to Section 2(d) of the Act, it is hereby determined that an increase in the quota quantity proclaimed in Paragraph 1 is required by overriding economic interests of the United States, giving special weight to the importance to the nation of the economic well-being of the domestic livestock industry, and that an increase of 112.1 million pounds in such quota quantity is necessary to carry out the purposes of such subsection.

3. Pursuant to Section 2(d) of the Act, the quota quantity proclaimed in Paragraph 1. is increased by 112.1 million pounds and the total quantity of the articles specified in item 106.10 (relating to fresh, chilled, or frozen cattle meat) and item 106.20 (relating to fresh, chilled, or frozen meat of goats and sheep (except lambs) of Part 2B, schedule 1 of the tariff schedules of the United States which may be entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption during the calendar year 1976 is limited to 1,233 million pounds.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred seventy-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and first.



GERALD R. FORD