---
kind: "section"
citation: "19 U.S.C. § 4403"
title: "19"
title_heading: "Customs Duties"
number: "4403"
heading: "Honey transshipment"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/19/4403"
units:
  - "Chapter 28 — Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement"
  - "Subchapter V — Additional Enforcement Provisions"
---

# §4403. Honey transshipment

- (a) **In general—** The [Commissioner](/usc/19/4301.md?p=3) shall direct appropriate personnel and the use of resources of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to address concerns that honey is being imported into the [United States](/usc/19/1683.md?p=9) in violation of the [customs and trade laws of the United States](/usc/19/4301.md?p=4).
- (b) **Country of origin—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Commissioner](/usc/19/4301.md?p=3) shall compile a database of the individual characteristics of honey produced in foreign [countries](/usc/19/1677.md?p=3) to facilitate the verification of [country](/usc/19/1677.md?p=3) of origin markings of imported honey.
  - (2) **Engagement with foreign governments—** The [Commissioner](/usc/19/4301.md?p=3) shall seek to engage the customs agencies of foreign governments for assistance in compiling the database described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1).
  - (3) **Consultation with industry—** In compiling the database described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1), the [Commissioner](/usc/19/4301.md?p=3) shall consult with entities in the honey [industry](/usc/19/1677.md?p=4-A) regarding the development of [industry](/usc/19/1677.md?p=4-A) [standards](/usc/19/2576b.md?p=5) for honey identification.
  - (4) **Consultation with Food and Drug Administration—** In compiling the database described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1), the [Commissioner](/usc/19/4301.md?p=3) shall consult with the [Commissioner](/usc/19/4301.md?p=3) of Food and Drugs.
- (c) **Report required—** Not later than 180 days after February 24, 2016, the [Commissioner](/usc/19/4301.md?p=3) shall submit to Congress a report that—
  - (1) describes and assesses the limitations in the existing analysis capabilities of laboratories with respect to determining the [country](/usc/19/1677.md?p=3) of origin of honey samples or the percentage of honey contained in a sample; and
  - (2) includes any recommendations of the [Commissioner](/usc/19/4301.md?p=3) for improving such capabilities.
- (d) **Sense of Congress—** It is the sense of Congress that the [Commissioner](/usc/19/4301.md?p=3) of Food and Drugs should promptly establish a national [standard](/usc/19/2576b.md?p=5) of identity for honey for the [Commissioner](/usc/19/4301.md?p=3) of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to use to ensure that imports of honey are—
  - (1) classified accurately for purposes of assessing duties; and
  - (2) denied [entry](/usc/19/1677.md?p=23) into the [United States](/usc/19/1683.md?p=9) if such imports pose a threat to the health or safety of consumers in the [United States](/usc/19/1683.md?p=9).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 114–125, title VI, § 608, Feb. 24, 2016, 130 Stat. 189.)