U.S. imports of Butter (HS 040510) totaled $72.6M in August 2026, imported from 38 countries.
Importers of Butter paid $14.7M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 20.39% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Butter imports of $72.6M in August 2026 ran 25% above the year-to-date monthly average of $58.1M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataTariff-rate quota treatment governs most commercial butter imports into the US, with the schedule splitting entries across three 10-digit lines: 0405100000, 0405101000 (subject to Additional US Note 6 to Chapter 4), and 0405102000 for residual quantities. New Zealand and Ireland are the dominant suppliers, reflecting the competitive cost structure of grass-fed dairy systems in both countries, while France rounds out the top three with premium cultured-butter products. All imported butter must clear FDA oversight as a dairy food and is subject to standard dairy admissibility requirements at the port of entry.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
644 import shipments a month
Butter imports are split between in-quota and over-quota tariff lines. Shipments qualifying under Additional US Note 6 to Chapter 4 enter at the in-quota rate (0405101000), while quantities exceeding the TRQ threshold fall under the NESOI line (0405102000), which carries a significantly higher over-quota duty. Importers must track quota fill levels and obtain any required import licenses before shipment.
Commercial butter imports generally require a customs entry, a certificate of origin, and compliance with FDA food facility registration requirements. For TRQ-eligible shipments, an import license or permit issued under the relevant quota administration program is also required. Working with a licensed customs broker familiar with Chapter 4 dairy quotas is strongly advised given the complexity of the additional US notes.
Subheading 1 of 3 in heading 0405
Subheading 040510 · $72.6M of $77.7M
ImportsExports
Imports
$72.6MYoY · free account
Exports
$33.5MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $559.3M of Butter and exported $566.6M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Trade Directory
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HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Imports for consumption | Average duty rate | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0405102000 | Butter, NESOI | $66.9M | 20.94% | 99.62% | $14.0M |
| 0405101000 | Butter, See Additional U.S. Note 6 to This Chapter | $5.1M | 13.27% | 100.00% | $681K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 0405100000 | Butter | $33.5M |
Import lines come from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and export lines from Schedule B. The two are numbered by different agencies, so the same 10-digit code can appear in both tables describing a different product.
Imports · August 2026
origin
Ireland and New Zealand together supply 92% of it. Brazil pays 55.0% duty; France 13.3%.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
0.3% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 20.39% of imports for consumption.