U.S. Government Begins Investigation on Lamb Meat Imports
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Date: 2026-07-20
Agency: United States International Trade Commission (USITC)
The United States International Trade Commission has started an investigation on lamb meat imports. This action follows a request from the United States Trade Representative on July 13, 2026. The investigation is numbered TA-201-80.
The investigation will check if lamb meat imports to the U.S. are increasing so much that they are causing serious harm, or could cause harm, to the U.S. lamb meat industry. The Commission said this investigation is extraordinarily complicated.
The U.S. lamb meat industry produces products like or directly competing with imported lamb meat. The USITC has until November 13, 2026, to decide if there is any injury or threat of injury. The Commission must report to the President by January 11, 2027.
Details of the Investigation
Lamb Meat Definition: The lamb meat under investigation includes fresh, chilled, or frozen lamb meat. It does not include live lambs and sheep or mutton. The imports may come under specific tariff schedule numbers like 0204.10.00, 0204.21.00, and others. This list helps with customs, but the written description is most important.
Complexity of Investigation: The investigation is considered complicated. It requires gathering a lot of data from firms that make, process, or sell lamb meat in the U.S. Normally, a decision would be made in 120 days, but because of the complexity, the Commission has an extra three days.
Public Hearings and Participation
The USITC plans to hold public hearings. The hearings will be divided into phases:
- Injury Phase Hearing: Scheduled for October 16, 2026.
- Remedy Phase Hearing: If needed, it will be on December 1, 2026.
People wanting to take part must request to appear by October 8, 2026, for the injury hearing, and November 23, 2026, for the remedy hearing.
The Commission will only accept electronic submissions. Filings must be done through the Commission’s Electronic Document Information System (EDIS).
Confidential Information and Rules
Some business information will be kept confidential. The Commission can share this confidential information with the U.S. Trade Representative and for decision-making.
Submission of Written Materials
Interested parties can submit prehearing briefs:
- Injury Phase: Deadline is October 8, 2026.
- Remedy Phase: Deadline is November 23, 2026.
Written testimony can also be submitted at the hearings. Posthearing briefs should be submitted by October 23, 2026, for the injury phase and December 8, 2026, for the remedy phase.
Each posthearing brief should not be more than fifteen pages. The Commission may ask questions at the hearings about the injury or remedy phases.
All written submissions must follow the Commission’s rules. Each document must be shared with all other investigation parties, and a certificate of service must be filed.
This investigation follows section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974.
For more details, affected parties should consult the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. The public can follow the investigation through the Commission’s electronic docket. Further information is available on the USITC website.
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This article includes content collected from the Federal Register (federalregister.gov). The content is not an official government publication. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For case-specific consultation, please contact us. Read our full Legal Disclaimer, which also includes information on translation accuracy.
