U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) recently offered bipartisan legislation to ensure agriculture producers receive duties collected by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) for China’s unfair trading practices.
The CBP reportedly still owes an additional $10.5 million in retroactive duties to U.S. garlic producers, 90 percent of which is grown in California, according to the congressman’s office.
“China’s practice of dumping garlic into the U.S. has unfairly distorted our markets and inflicted serious harm on producers here in the Central Valley,” Rep. Valadao said. “The federal government has already collected dumping duties from these imports, but producers have still not been paid the money they are owed from China’s unfair trade practices. This bipartisan legislation ensures producers receive the payments they are entitled to from the CBP and gives our farmers a fair chance to compete.”
Rep. Valadao and U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced the China Trade Cheating Restitution Act on June 8. If enacted, the bill would ensure domestic garlic, honey, and crawfish producers are paid the duties the CBP has collected by Chinese producers that purposely exported agricultural products below the cost of production to drive out U.S. producers – a practice commonly referred to as dumping, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
“Chinese importers dumping garlic into our market have caused serious harm to Californian producers,” said Rep. Panetta. “The federal government has a responsibility to not only prevent these harmful trade practices but ensure our producers are taken care of.”