What Apparel Importers Need to Know About the 2026 Cotton Fee Reduction
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a Federal Register notice adjusting the supplemental assessment on imported cotton under the Cotton Research and Promotion Program.
What’s changing:
The cotton assessment rate on imported cotton will decrease beginning March 1, 2026, aligning import assessments with domestic cotton rates.
New Assessment Rate
- Current: $0.013247 per kg
- New: $0.012388 per kg
- Decrease: $0.000858 per kg
What this means for importers
- Lower cotton fees reflected on customs declarations
- Estimated $3 million reduction in total importer assessments (assuming steady volumes)
- No new compliance or paperwork requirements
This change is expected to benefit apparel and textile importers without adding administrative burden.
Speak to an Alba expert for support.
Alba’s customs experts are available to help importers evaluate potential impacts on quota availability, entry timing, and duty exposure, contact us.
Reference:
Federal Register Notice – Modification of the WTO Tariff Rate Quota for Beef (December 31, 2025)
