Odd timing for this post. I've just been swearing under my breath at the paper work APHIS makes you go through to send seed into the US!
I think Lambelkip is on the mark regarding the effect of these new fees on small businesses. There have been a couple of changes in AQIS that seem to be aimed at dissuading small importers/exporters from dealing with AQIS. Presumably, the government is trying to increase resources to AQIS, as per the Beale review recommendations, with minimal increase in the national budget. For large produce importers/exporters the additional AQIS charges are easily absorbed into their costs. For small businesses and individuals, who are more work per volume of product, the additional costs are prohibitively expensive, forcing them out of the import/export market and making AQIS operate more efficiently. Yes, it screws the small businesses over but they're not important enough in the scheme of things to outweigh the government looking good on paper.
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