Anderson Organization v. United States

38 Cust. Ct. 343
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedJune 4, 1957
DocketC. D. 1885
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 38 Cust. Ct. 343 (Anderson Organization v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Anderson Organization v. United States, 38 Cust. Ct. 343 (cusc 1957).

Opinion

DoNlon, Judge:

There is no controversy as to what this merchandise is. It is beef and gravy, packed in sealed cans. It was imported in 1952 from Mexico. This litigation has to do solely with the tariff classification and duty rate proper for merchandise of this description.

The collector liquidated the merchandise under paragraph 706 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as meat, prepared or preserved, not specially .provided for, charged with duty at the rate specified in the trade agreement with Paraguay (T. D. 51649), effective April 9, 1947. In its protest, plaintiff agrees that classification of the merchandise under paragraph 706 is correct, but claims the benefit of a GATT rate reduction. The collector denies plaintiff’s right to this rate reduction, contending that the merchandise is properly classified within the exception set forth in the GATT modification of paragraph 706, being beef, packed in airtight containers.

The question is, is “beef and gravy,” packed in airtight containers, “beef,” packed in airtight containers, under the GATT provision cited. If it is, plaintiff’s protest must fail.

Plaintiff also argues, in its brief, for benefit of the Annecy protocol rate modification of paragraph 706 (T. D. 52373).

There are before us, therefore, contentions that are based on three different modifications (or alleged modifications) of paragraph 706. It will make the argument clearer to set them forth in the language of the several cited trade agreements.

Paraguay (T. D. 51649):

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[345]*345General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (T. D. 51802):

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We shall first dispose of plaintiff’s claim under the Annecy protocol. The Annecy modification of paragraph 706, above quoted, was not effective in 1952, at the time when this merchandise was entered. When the President proclaimed Annecy rate modifications, effective January 1, 1950, he expressly excluded, in issuing his proclamation, the Annecy modification of paragraph 706 (T. D. 52373). It. was not until December 16, 1953, that Annecy modification of paragraph 706 became effective by Presidential proclamation (T. D. 53413). Then it was not the modification that had been originally negotiated, benefit of which plaintiff claims in its brief. The Annecy modification of paragraph 706 that finally became effective on December 16, 1953, is different. However, neither the original nor the revised Annecy modification of paragraph 706 was effective in 1952, at the time when this merchandise was entered. Therefore,. we do not speculate on what the effects of the Annecy modification might be. The issue now before us does not require this.

We proceed next to consider what is the proper application of the GATT modification of paragraph 706, on the fact§ that are before us.

[346]*346There are proofs as to the method of producing this merchandise, as to how it is labeled, how it is sold, and how it is used.

Plaintiff’s general manager, Mr. George Walker, was called as plaintiff’s witness. He was in Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico, from 1948 until 1953, as supervisor of the canning of beef and gravy at the Empacadora canning plant, where this merchandise was produced. He testified that he spent all of his time on the floor of the cannery; that he knew how the merchandise was prepared, and of what ingredients and in what proportions; and that he supervised the “packing” of the actual merchandise of these entries (R. 6, 7, 8).

He described the method of preparing the product, in substance, as follows:

Boned beef was taken into the cannery, run through a series of slicing machines to cut the beef into cubes of approximately an inch and a half, and the beef was weighed into batches of 500 pounds.

Gravy was prepared separately. The base of the gravy was a product known as Griffith Dry Gravy Mix. Actually, there were two mixes, “Griffith’s Dry Gravy Mix #444 for Beef & Gravy” and “Griffith’s Dry Gravy Mix GM-102.” Both contained the same ingredients, but in different proportions. Formulae for their use in manufacturing beef and gravy were different, both as to recipe proportions of mix to be used and as to other ingredients. The formulae were adapted for use with batches of 500 pounds of meat. Both mixes were perfected for use in the manufacture of canned beef and gravy, according to Government specifications. (Plaintiff’s exhibit 5.)

Mr. Walker testified that the dry gravy mix is combined with tomato puree and water in recipe proportions. This is thoroughly mixed and then added to the meat. The combination of beef and gravy is stirred until the gravy is thoroughly mixed with the meat and then is packed into cans. The cans are put through a sealing machine, which draws a vacuum on the cans, that is, vacuum packs and seals them. The cans are then placed in a retort, where the product is cooked for 75 minutes at 240 degrees. Thereafter, the cans are cooled, labeled, packed, and shipped (R. 11).

Mr. Walker stated the proportions of meat and gravy in various-sized cans of the product, as manufactured. In a 15%-ounce can, 18 per centum of the contents would be gravy. In a 20%-ounce can, there would be 15 per centum gravy (R. 12, 13).

The affidavit of Harry L. Gleason, vice president of The Griffith Laboratories, Inc. (plaintiff’s exhibit 5), shows the components of the two dry gravy mixes, and their proportions, as follows:

[347]*347GM-102 Dby Gbavy Mix #444
Special Sterilized Wheat Flour 66. 6% 9° to
Salt 31.59% to P CO
Caramel Color . 95% . Gi
Pepper . 96% . O
100% 100%

Mr. Walker testified that, in making beef and gravy to pack in 20%-ounce cans, the proportions used for each 500 pounds of beef were 43.34 pounds of Griffith Dry Gravy Mix, 11.55 pounds of tomato puree, and 33.29 pounds of water, a total of 88.18 pounds of this mixture for combination with 500 pounds of meat. In making the product to pack in 15%-ounce cans, for each 500 pounds of beef, the proportions used were 50.93 pounds of Griffith Dry Gravy Mix, 13.56 pounds of tomato puree, and 39.13 pounds of water, a total of 103.62 pounds of this mixture for combination with 500 pounds of meat (R. 11, 12, 13).

Two cans of beef and gravy, taken from the entered merchandise, were put in evidence (R. 3) and, by court order, sent to the United States Customs Laboratory in New York for analysis (R. 83). The laboratory analysis, customs Form 6415, was received in evidence (defendant’s collective exhibit B). This analysis reports the contents of each can, one taken from each of the protested entries, as follows:

Each sample consists of a can of small irregular cubes of cooked meat and a gravy as follows:

Marks Net Wgt. of Contents % Meat % Gravy
Entry 2114 15.5 ozs. 93 7
Entry 2670 21.7 ozs. 77 23

The meat and gravy portions each contained salt, flour, tomato and pepper type spice as follows:

Entry 2114 Meat Gravy Entry 2670 Meat Gravy
% Salt 1.9 0. 8 1. 8 0. 7
% Flour 5.2 1.5 5.7 4.0

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Related

Moscahlades Bros., Inc. v. United States
39 Cust. Ct. 127 (U.S. Customs Court, 1957)

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Bluebook (online)
38 Cust. Ct. 343, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/anderson-organization-v-united-states-cusc-1957.