The American Soybean Association expressed the concerns of soybean farmers across the country regarding the preliminary decision to reduce duties on Argentinian biodiesel imports.
The U.S. Department of Commerce made the preliminary decision to reduce existing countervailing duties on imports of unfairly subsidized biodiesel from Argentina.
The decision was first announced last week on July 2.
Countervailing duties on those imports would drop significantly, while the antidumping rates would remain the same.
Those duties were just imposed in 2018 following an in-depth analysis by the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission.
Just a few months after the duties were imposed, Argentina requested, and the Commerce Department undertook what’s called a “changed circumstances” review.
Rob Shaffer, an ASA board member, says:
“Given the administration’s strong view on addressing unfair trade practices and leveling the playing field for U.S. producers, this decision is very surprising.”
Shaffer says biodiesel is an important homegrown fuel source and it makes sense that the blend requirements established by the Environmental Protection Agency are filled by domestically-produced biodiesel.