The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has decided not to pay $6.1 million in anti-dumping and countervailing duty bonds to Louisiana crawfish processors and Congressman Charles Boustany (R-La.) – who helped broker the deal – isn’t happy.
“I am extremely disappointed with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol’s decision to move forward in denying these funds that are rightfully owed to the Louisiana crawfish industry,” Boustany said. “This agency not only misled the industry, they misled me weeks ago when they promised to have a plan in place to disburse these funds.”
Boustany led a meeting between leaders of the Louisiana crawfish industry and the CBP to resolve uncollected anti-dumping and countervailing duties owed to the industry and on Oct. 24 the CBP agreed to formulate a plan to disperse $6.1 million within weeks.
The U.S. Representative indicated that his fight to procure the funds for the industry is not over.
“I will not stand by and allow U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to run right over our hard-working crawfish industry,” Boustany said. I am currently in consultation with the industry and support its efforts to consider legal recourse for this action that we believe is in clear violation of the law.
“U.S. Customs and Border Patrol admits there is a need for bureaucratic reforms and greater transparency within this process, and I wholeheartedly agree. I will keep the pressure on this agency to do the right thing and grant these funds that are rightfully owed to Louisiana crawfish processors.”