USDA again puts off APHIS fee for Canadian imports

Reaction to the USDA's further delay in the controversial APHIS inspection fees for Canadian fruit and vegetable imports indicate it won't get any easier when the agency finally pulls the trigger. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., chair of the House rules committee, favors eliminating the fee.

The fees were first set to go into effect in November, but then pushback from Canada moved the date to January, then March. This Federal Register notice explains why the effective date was moved from March 1 to June 1.:

We are making this change to allow additional time for us to conclude discussions with the Government of Canada regarding risks, inspections, and costs associated with land-border traffic entering the United States from Canada.

TK: Three delays and counting. Given that track record, I can't see this fee happening as planned in June, either.