SUMMARIES OF TARIFF INFORMATION LIMESTONE, CRUDE, CRUSHED, BROKEN, GROUND, OR PULVERIZED, WHEN IMPORTED (PAR. 1685) Comment This summary covers crude, crushed, or broken, limestone when imported to be used in the manufacture of fertilizer, and ground and pulverized limestone of grades used chiefly for fertilizer or chiefly as an ingredient in the manufacture of fertilizer when imported for that use. For limestone, crude or crushed when imported for use other than in the manufacture of fertilizer, see separate summary on limestone, crude, or crushed but not pulverized, dutiable under paragraph 203; for ground or pulverized limestone, other than fertilizer grade, see summary on stone, n.s.p.f., crushed or ground (except marble chip or granito and Cornwall stone), dutiable under paragraph 214; and for limestone spalls (broken limestone) when imported for use other than in the manufacture of fertilizer, see summary on earthy and mineral substances, n.s.p.f., not decorated, dutiable under paragraph 214. Limestone is a sedimentary rock of wide occurrence in nature; it consists chiefly of calcium carbonate. Limestone covered by this summary finds important applications in agriculture, as a soil conditioner, as a corrective for soil acidity, and as a diluting material or filler in commercial fertilizers. It is usually known as agricultural limestone. Agricultural limestone is produced throughout the United States; the principal producing States are Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. These five States usually account for more than half of the domestic production. During the decade before World War II, production of agricultural limestone in the United States averaged about 2.7 million short tons, valued at approximately 3.3 million dollars, annually. Production increased greatly during the war and reached 19 million tons, valued at 25.3 million dollars in 1944. This increase was attributable to two main factors: (1) The exceptionally high farm income, and (2) the soil conservation program of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration whereby the Government paid benefits to farmers as an inducement to use limestone for soil conservation. Since 1946, when production of agricultural limestone amounted to 22.8 million tons, valued at 32.5 million dollars, there has been a slight downward trend; in 1948, production amounted to 20.9 million tons, valued at 32 million dollars. Before April 24, 1948, United States imports of limestone to be used in the manufacture of fertilizers consisted of only ground or pulverized limestone. Since that date, imports have included crude, crushed or broken limestone (see Tariff Status). The imports of agricultural limestone have been relatively small, usually representing less than 0.1 percent of domestic consumption. For a number of years before World War II, imports seldom exceeded 10,000 short tons annually, and in 1939 they amounted to about 7, 800 tons, valued at $37,600. During World War II, imports ranged from a high of about 6,000 tons, valued at $35,000, in 1941 to a low of 1,800 tons, valued at $18,000, in 1943. Postwar imports have continued to be substantially below the prewar level and in 1948 they amounted to 3,700 tons, valued at $16,000. Canada has been practically the only source of imports which have supplemented the domestic supply in certain border areas, principally Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and northern New York. United States exports of agricultural limestone are not separately reported, but they are known to be smaller than imports. * UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION MISCELLANEOUS SUBSTANCES USED CHIEFLY FOR FERTILIZER Tariff Status Par. 1685. Grades of substances used chiefly for fertilizers, or chiefly as an ingredient in the manufacture of fertilizers, 1/ which were free of duty under the Tariff Act of 1922, are free of duty also under the Tariff Act of 1930. Their duty-free status was bound in the Geneva agreement. 1 For the purpose of this summary this description includes only those fertilizer materials classifiable under par. 1685 which are not covered by other summaries. Trade Statistics Table 1.- Miscellaneous substances used chiefly for fertilizer: 1/ Statistics for 1937 and earlier years are apparently not strictly comparable with those after 1937 since some commodities classified under "substances used chiefly for fertilizer" before 1938 were subsequently included under other import classifications. 2/ Preliminary. 3/ Includes Austria, 1938-43. Less than one-half ton. Source: Official statistics of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Note. Statistics on United States production and exports of miscellaneous sub SUMMARIES OF TARIFF INFORMATION MISCELLANEOUS SUBSTANCES USED CHIEFLY FOR FERTILIZER Table 2.- Miscellaneous substances used chiefly for fertilizer: Source: Compiled by the U.S. Tariff Commission from records of the U.S. Bureau of Customs. Note.- Separate statistics on the above items are not available prior to 1946. UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION MISCELLANEOUS SUBSTANCES USED CHIEFLY FOR FERTILIZER Comment This summary covers a group of minor fertilizer materials, including leather waste, cotton boll hulls, hair scutch and waste, and other miscellaneous substances which are used chiefly for fertilizer or as an ingredient in the manufacture of fertilizer. These fertilizer materials are chiefly wastes from the production of various manufactured products. The commercially more important fertilizer materials are covered by other summaries. 1/ Statistics on United States production of the miscellaneous substances included in this summary are not available, but production doubtless greatly exceeds imports. In the prewar years 1938 and 1939, annual United States imports of these miscellaneous fertilizer materials averaged 1,950 short tons, valued at $14,300 (foreign value), and came principally from Canada. In 1946-48 they averaged 7,100 short tons, valued at $95,300, with Canada continuing as the principal supplier. Leather waste was the principal miscellaneous fertilizer material imported in 1946-48; cotton boll hulls ranked next in importance in 1946, hair scutch and waste in 1947, and hoof and horn meal in 1948 (see table 2). Statistics are not available, but United States exports of the materials covered by this summary are believed to be small, if any. See separate summaries on nitrogenous fertilizer materials, par. 1685; phosphate fertilizer materials, par. 1685; potash fertilizer materials, par. 1745; and phosphates, crude, and apatite, par. 1740. SUMMARIES OF TARIFF INFORMATION PEAT MOSS, FERTILIZER GRADE Tariff Status Par. 1685. Peat moss, fertilizer grade was administratively classified under the specific provision for peat moss in the dutiable lists of the Tariff Act of 1922 and, until April 1940, under the Act of 1930. In April 1940 the United States Customs Court held peat moss of fertilizer grade to be free of duty under the provision for those grades of substances used chiefly for fertilizer in paragraph 1685, and its duty-free status was bound in the Geneva agreement. Estimated on the basis of reports of the U. S. Bureau of Mines. Source: Production, estimated from official statistics of the U. S. Bureau of Mines; imports, official statistics of the U. S. Department of Commerce, except as noted. Note: Export statistics on peat moss, fertilizer grade, are not available; exports are understood to be small. |