Proclamation 4577—Quantitative Limitation on the Importation of Certain Meat

The Act of August 22, 1964 (78 Stat. 594; 19 U.S.C. 1202 note), provides for the limitation of certain meat imports if import estimates exceed 110 percent of an adjusted base quantity for that year. The limitation applies to fresh, chilled, or frozen cattle meat and fresh, chilled, or frozen meat of goats and sheep, except lamb.

On December 30, 1977, the Secretary of Agriculture determined (43 FR 987) in accord with Section 2(b)(1) of the Act that the adjusted base quantity of meat for the calendar year 1978 is 1,183.9 million pounds. The Secretary now has estimated (in the 1978 third quarterly estimate) that the aggregate imports of meat for 1978 will be 1,492.3 million pounds. This estimate exceeds 110 percent of the previously determined adjusted base quantity for 1978.

In accord with Section 2 (c) of the Act, the President must limit the import of meat to the adjusted base quantity for 1978 of 1,183.9 million pounds, unless he increases or suspends that limitation pursuant to Section 2(d) of the Act.

Now, Therefore, I, Jimmy Carter, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by Section 2 of the Act, do hereby proclaim as follows:

1. The total quantity of the articles specified in item 106.10 (relating to fresh, chilled, or frozen meat) and item 106.20 (relating to fresh, chilled, or frozen meat of goats and sheep (except lamb)) of part 2B, schedule 1 of the Tariff Schedules of the United States, which may be entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption during the calendar year 1978, is limited to 1,183.9 million pounds.

2. In accord with Section 2(d) of the Act, I determine that the supply of meat described in Paragraph 1 hereof will be inadequate to meet domestic demand at reasonable prices.

3. The limitation proclaimed in Paragraph 1 hereof is suspended during the period of calendar year 1978, which is the period that I determine to be necessary to carry out the purposes of Section 2 (d) of the Act.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred seventy-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and third.

JIMMY CARTER