Ruling of the Week: The Minkomatic

Maybe this will be a continuing feature, maybe not. Either way, it is not at all unusual for me to see rulings that I find amusing for one reason or another. And, in almost all cases, I know that it is not amusing to the people involved who consider the product involved to be their job. So, I issue a blanket apology to anyone I might offend.

Today, I was amused to see a ruling on the Minkomatic 660 and 670 feeder trucks. You can find out everything you ever wanted to know about self-propelled vehicles designed to deliver feed to livestock in pens here.


The issue presented to Customs and Border Protection was whether the Minkomatic truck is classifiable as a vehicle of Chapter 87 or as agricultural machinery of Chapter 84. Because it is equally equipped for mink feeding, Customs determined that it is not principally used for transport. That took it out of Chapter 87. Customs then also determined that mink husbandry is an agricultural exercise. That puts the Minkomatic is 8436, without leaving GRI 1.

Why is that amusing? "Minkomatic," that's why.

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