7 CFR § 6.4 - Investigations.

(a) Section 22. The Administrator shall cause an investigation to be made whenever, based upon a request submitted pursuant to § 6.3 or upon other information available to him, he determines that there is reasonable ground to believe that the imposition of import quotas or fees under section 22 may be warranted, or that the termination or modification of import quotas or fees in effect under section 22 may be warranted.

(b) Section 8(a). The Administrator shall cause an immediate investigation to be made whenever (1) a request is received for emergency treatment in connection with an application properly filed with the Tariff Commission under section 7; (2) a request is received for emergency treatment under section 22 if the Administrator determines that there is reasonable ground to believe that the imposition of import quotas or fees under section 22 may be warranted; or (3) the Administrator, upon the basis of other information available to him, has reasonable ground for believing that emergency treatment under section 8(a) is necessary. The Administrator shall expedite to the fullest practicable extent his attention to requests for emergency treatment under section 8(a), and such requests shall receive priority over requests for other action under section 22. The investigation shall cover (1) whether the commodity is a perishable agricultural commodity; (2) whether, due to the perishability of the commodity, a condition exists requiring emergency treatment as indicated by such factors as (i) the marketing season for the commodity, (ii) past and prospective domestic production, stocks, requirements, and prices, (iii) past and prospective imports; and (3) such other matters as the Administrator determines are relevant to a determination as to whether emergency treatment for the commodity is necessary. No public hearing shall be held in connection with investigations under this paragraph.