CBP Seattle Advises Trade of Fee Increase for Agriculture Reimbursable Overtime

The costs for agriculture reimbursable overtime services by CBP Agriculture Specialists will go up at the Port of Seattle, said CBP in a Nov. 5 trade information notice. The increase is the result of an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service increase to its hourly rates for overtime services performed by APHIS, and in some cases CBP as of Nov. 2 (see 1510010017). The costs for reimbursable overtime "will be calculated by the Office of Administration, Financial Operations, Debt Management Branch based on the amount paid to the CBP Agriculture Specialist for performing the service(s), and not at the previous proscribed rates," said CBP. The Government Accountability Office recommended the fee increase in a 2013 report that found current fees are not covering all costs associated with the program, forcing CBP to dip into its own budget to make up for the shortfall (see 13030601). Industry groups have called the APHIS fee hikes “exorbitant” and “unfair” (see 14072920).