U.S. imports of Cheese, Not Elsewhere Specified or Included (Including Cheddar and Colby) (HS 040690) totaled $160.7M in August 2026, imported from 66 countries.
Importers of Cheese, Not Elsewhere Specified or Included (Including Cheddar and Colby) paid $18.6M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 11.59% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Cheese, Not Elsewhere Specified or Included (Including Cheddar and Colby) imports of $160.7M in August 2026 ran 19% above the year-to-date monthly average of $134.6M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataHeading 0406.90 is the broadest cheese classification in Chapter 4, capturing aged and specialty varieties not covered by the fresh, grated, processed, or blue-veined headings — including Cheddar, Colby, Edam, Gouda, Gjetost, Goya, Swiss/Emmenthaler, Italian-type cow's-milk cheeses, sheep's-milk varieties, and Bryndza. Italy and France lead US imports under this heading, supplying aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino, Comté, and other premium varieties that anchor the specialty cheese retail and foodservice markets. The schedule's granularity is exceptional: separate lines exist for Canadian Cheddar without a license (0406900810), Romano/Reggiano/Parmesan/Provolone (0406904300), Swiss with eye formation (0406904800), and Pecorino in original loaves suitable for grating (0406905600), among many others. Dairy food admissibility requirements apply; importers should engage a licensed customs broker experienced in Chapter 4 additional notes.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
4.2K import shipments a month
Line 0406904800 specifically covers Swiss and Emmenthaler cheeses that exhibit the characteristic eye (hole) formation produced during aging, which is the defining quality marker for authentic Emmenthaler. Swiss-type cheeses that lack eye formation — such as certain processed or young Swiss-style products — would not qualify for this line and must be classified elsewhere, potentially under the processed cheese heading or a residual NESOI line. The distinction matters because TRQ treatment under Additional US Note 25 applies specifically to the eye-formation variety.
Line 0406900810 is reserved for Canadian Cheddar cheese imported without a TRQ import license, meaning it enters outside the quota at the over-quota duty rate. Importers who hold a valid license for Canadian Cheddar under the applicable TRQ program would instead use line 0406900890. This split allows CBP to separately track licensed (in-quota) and unlicensed (over-quota) Canadian Cheddar entries, which is important for quota administration and duty assessment.
Subheading 1 of 5 in heading 0406
Subheading 040690 · $160.7M of $178.5M
Trade Directory
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ImportsExports
Imports
$160.7MYoY · free account
Exports
$113.1MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $1.5B of Cheese, Not Elsewhere Specified or Included (Including Cheddar and Colby) and exported $1.3B.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 0406909550 | Cheese, Including Mixtures, NESOI | $69.6M |
| 0406901000 | Cheese, Cheddar, NESOI | $43.3M |
| 0406906500 | Cheese, Colby, NESOI | $186K |
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
Italy and France together supply 46% of it.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
4.4% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 11.59% of imports for consumption.