U.S. imports of butter (HS 040510) totaled $70.4M in April 2026, traded with 33 countries.
Last updated: April 2026 dataImported butter enters the US under a tariff-rate quota framework referenced in Additional US Note 6 to Chapter 4, with line 0405101000 covering within-quota entries and 0405102000 covering over-quota volumes. New Zealand and Ireland are the dominant suppliers, together accounting for the bulk of US butter imports; France and Argentina are also significant sources. Butterfat purity and moisture content are the key specification parameters that distinguish butter from dairy spreads (heading 040520) and anhydrous milk fat (heading 040590). USDA FSIS governs admissibility; all shipments must originate from an approved foreign establishment.
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Butter under 040510 is a natural emulsion of butterfat, water, and milk solids with a minimum butterfat content defined by Codex standards. Dairy spreads under 040520 are blended or modified fat products that may include vegetable fats. Anhydrous milk fat under 040590 has had virtually all moisture and non-fat solids removed. The correct heading depends on the product's composition and processing method.
Within-quota butter (0405101000) enters at a lower duty rate, while over-quota butter (0405102000) faces a significantly higher rate. Quota fill is monitored by CBP, and importers should track remaining quota availability — particularly in the second half of the calendar year when quota volumes are often nearly exhausted — to avoid unexpected over-quota duty exposure.
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Imports
$70.4M
from 33 countries · YTD: $218.1M
Exports
$47.3M
Deficit of $23.0M (net importer)
Trade balance: deficit of $23.0M (net importer)
YTD: $218.1M imported (April 2026)
778 shipments/month
Monthly import values over time
Top U.S. entry points for this product, ranked by latest-month import value.