Dutch Cheese Importers Co. v. United States

23 Cust. Ct. 98, 1949 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 628
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedDecember 12, 1949
DocketC. D. 1197
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 23 Cust. Ct. 98 (Dutch Cheese Importers Co. 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
Dutch Cheese Importers Co. v. United States, 23 Cust. Ct. 98, 1949 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 628 (cusc 1949).

Opinion

Cline, Judge:

This is a protest, arising at the port of New York, against the collector’s assessment of duty on Edam process-cheese imported from the Netherlands at 35 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 710 of the Tariff Act of 1930. It is claimed that the merchandise is properly dutiable at 5 cents per pound, but not less than 25 per centum ad valorem, under said paragraph, as modified by the trade agreement with the Netherlands, T. D. 48075.

The pertinent provisions of the tariff act and the trade agreement are as follows:

Par. 710. Cheese and substitutes therefor, 7 cents per pound, but not less than 35 per centum ad valorem.
Par. 710 [as modified by the trade agreement with the Netherlands, T. D. 48075], Edam and Gouda cheese, 50 per lb., but not less than 25% ad val.

The case was submitted upon a stipulation of fact reading as follows:

It is hereby stipulated and agreed by and between counsel for the plaintiff and the Assistant Attorney General for the United States, that the items of merchandise marked “A” and checked JM by Examiner Jacob Moscowitz on the invoices covered by the protest herein, consists of Edam Process Cheese manufactured in the Netherlands and exported therefrom after February 15, 1936, and was classified for duty at 35% ad valorem under the provisions of Par. 710 of the Tariff Act of 1930. The Edam Process Cheese referred to above was manufactured in the following manner:
1. Edam Cheese was manufactured from cow’s milk in the usual manner in the form of loaves or balls weighing about 4 to 6 pounds each.
2. The loaves or balls of Edam cheese were then ground or chopped into small pieces and mixed with water and an emulsifying agent.
In the case of the cheese described on the invoice as “Kummel Edam Process Cheese,” a small quantity of caraway seeds was also added to the mixture for flavoring. The resulting mixture was heated and when in a liquid form poured into small moulds holding either six ounces or 2)4 ounces, where the cheese was allowed to cool and harden. The pieces of hardened cheese were then removed from the moulds, individually wrapped in metal foil and packed in cartons and boxes for shipment to the United States.
3. Edam Process Cheese, the merchandise at bar, is bought, sold and known under said name or designation, that is as Edam Process Cheese, in the wholesale and retail trade and commerce of the United States, and Edam Cheese from which it is processed in the manner set forth above is bought, sold and known under said name or designation, that is as Edam Cheese in the wholesale and retail trade and commerce of the United States.

[100]*100TLe issue involved herein is whether the merchandise is included within the term “Edam cheese” in the trade agreement with the Netherlands.

The general rule is that “an eo nomine statutory designation of an article, without limitations or a shown contrary legislative intent, judicial decision, or administrative practice to the contrary, and without proof of commercial designation, will include all forms of said article.” Nootka Packing Co. v. United States, 22 C. C. P. A. 464, 470, T. D. 47464; Chew Hing Lung v. Wise, 176 U. S. 156; Crosse & Blackwell Co. v. United States, 36 C. C. P. A. 33, C. A. D. 393.

In Nootka Packing Co. v. United States, supra, it was held that merchandise consisting of parts of clams which had been washed, put through a mincer, and canned was dutiable as clams packed in airtight containers. The court said (p. 466):

The imported merchandise was entered and invoiced as “minced clams.” Although cut into pieces, cleaned, and cooked, according to the testimony of the importers, it can be readily identified as parts of clams. Paragraph 721 (b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 provides for “Clams, clam juice, or either in combination with other substances, packed in air-tight containers.” It will be observed that this language is not restricted to clams in their raw or natural state, nor is it restricted to entire clams. It includes any clams in any condition, so long as they are clams.

In Nozaki Bros. v. United States, 71 Treas. Dec. 790, T. D. 48974, it was held that canned mandarin oranges in whole segments but without the skins, in sirup, were dutiable as oranges under the eo nomine provision therefor in paragraph 743 of the Tariff Act of 1930.

In a more recent case, Crosse & Blackwell Co. v. United States, supra, it was held that mangoes in brine, peeled, pitted, and sliced, were properly assessed with duty under the eo nomine provision for mangoes in paragraph 746 of the Tariff Act of 1930. It was pointed out that the variety of mango involved was not edible either as a fresh mango or as imported; that, while the pickling process changed its taste from a disagreeable to an extremely salty one, it did not change its character, nature, or use; that the merchandise was recognizable as mangoes.

In the instant case the original Edam cheese was ground, mixed with water and an emulsifying agent, then heated and poured into molds. This process did not change its character, nature, or use; it is still recognizable as Edam' cheese.

It has been held that spiced Gouda cheese flavored with cumin seeds is dutiable as Gouda cheese and that Gruyére process-cheese flavored with wine is dutiable as Gruyére process-cheese. Dirk Uges v. United States, 19 Cust. Ct. 1, C. D. 1057; Gruyere Cheese Corp. v. United States, 7 Cust. Ct. 171, C. D. 562; Kraft Phenix Cheese Co. v. United [101]*101States, 10 Cust Ct. 271, C. D. 767. In tbe instant case nothing has been added but water and an emulsifying agent, except that some of the cheese invoiced as “Kummel Edam Process-Cheese” is flavored with a small quantity of caraway seeds. The merchandise is therefore no more than another form of Edam cheese.

The Government claims that the rule that an eo nomine provision will include all forms of the article is not applicable herein, citing United States v. Reiss & Brady, 136 Fed. 741; Brennan v. United States, 136 Fed. 743; United States v. Sheldon & Co., 14 Ct. Cust. Appls. 228, T. D. 41708; Stone & Co. v. United States, 7 Ct. Cust. Appls. 173, T. D. 36492; Kwong Yuen Shing v. United States, 1 Ct. Cust. Appls. 16, T. D. 30774; Smith v. United States, 168 Fed. 462. These cases were considered and distinguished by the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals in Nootlca Packing Co. v. United States, supra. In each of these cases, moreover, the question was whether processed merchandise was dutiable under an eo nomine designation or under a provision for a prepared product. There is no provision in the tariff act or in the trade agreements for “processed cheese.” The question here is whether the merchandise is classifiable as Edam cheese or as cheese. Any form of Edam cheese must fall within the eo nomine designation therefor since that is more specific than the general provision for cheese.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
23 Cust. Ct. 98, 1949 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 628, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dutch-cheese-importers-co-v-united-states-cusc-1949.