Two California legislators recently introduced a bill that will ensure the federal government pays out anti-dumping duties it has collected to U.S. producers of garlic, honey and crawfish.
Gilroy garlic grower Christopher Ranch is one of the companies in California that could finally receive the funds it is owed, dating back more than 20 years, according to CEO Ken Christopher.
“Since 2000, Christopher Ranch is one of several large California garlic growers that are owed duties and fines from overseas operators that continually skirt U.S. law,” Christopher said. “Christopher Ranch is committed to working with every branch of our government to bring an end to these illegal farming practices that negatively hurt farmers across our great nation.”
U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and David Valadao (CA-22) last week introduced the China Trade Cheating Restitution Act. The bill aims to require the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) to distribute the remaining anti-dumping duties to American agricultural producers.
The anti-dumping revenue, collected by CBP between 2000-2014, was collected from China under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000, says a press release from Panetta’s office. The CBP still owes an unspecified number of garlic producers, specifically, about $10.5 million in anti-dumping duty revenue.
Panetta said the producers are owed the funds in restitution, which was wrongly kept from the growers by CBP.
“The federal government has failed to pay the required restitution to impacted producers from the dumping duties it collected on Chinese garlic imports,” said Rep. Panetta. “This bipartisan bill would right that wrong by requiring CBP to pay all collected duties and interest to those in our agricultural sector who deserve it.
“By passing this legislation, we can push the federal government to fulfill its responsibilities, not only to prevent dumping by China, but also to provide the proper remedy to our garlic growers and producers.”
Christopher did not say how much Christopher Ranch is owed from the CBP. The Gilroy-based company is the largest garlic producer in the U.S. The company grows garlic in various locations in California, including Gilroy and the Central Valley.
“The efforts of Rep. Panetta and Rep. Valadao have been instrumental in potentially righting so many wrongs from foreign companies that have illegally failed to follow federal law,” Christopher added. “It is our great hope that continued legislation and action like this will protect American farmers for generations to come.”
Valadao said China’s longtime practice of dumping garlic into U.S. markets has unfairly impacted competition.
“Since 2000, Customs and Border Protection has collected duties on these imports as required by law, yet our growers still haven’t received the payments they’re owed. This bipartisan, bicameral bill ensures domestic producers finally receive those funds and gives them a fair chance to compete in the domestic market,” Valadao said.
