Veterinary Services User Fees; Export Certificate Endorsements

We are establishing a maximum user fee for the endorsement of export certificates for a single shipment of animals or birds that require verification of tests or vaccinations. Prior to this final rule, user fees for these endorsements were based on the number of animals or birds listed on the certificate and the number of tests or vaccinations that the importing country required for those animals or birds. We are taking this action in response to requests from industry organizations and from our field and port employees to reconsider the fairness of these user fees for large export shipments of animals. The maximum user fee will result in lower user fees for large shipments, yet still recover the full cost of providing this service.