The American Agricultural Association urged the ITC to maintain the 2,4-D import corridor

Recently, Harold Waller, president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), expressed concern at the hearing of the International Trade Commission (ITC) about the anti-dumping and countervailing duty lawsuit filed by the pesticide company Corteva.

On March 14, Corteva filed a petition with the ITC to impose anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports of 2,4-D herbicides from India and China. In response, Waller called on the ITC not to grant the petition. Based on the widespread use of the 2,4-D herbicide in U.S. corn and soybean farming, with most of the imports coming from Asia, if the ITC approves Corteva’s petition, it could restrict imports of this important herbicide, leading to supply shortages and price increases that would burden U.S. farmers with production costs.

Waller also stressed that close control of costs is crucial to the success of farmers, who are price takers, not price makers, when they sell their produce. While agrochemical companies such as Corteva provide farmers with innovative technologies, farmers also need imported products as a supplement and cannot rely entirely on a single supplier, which would lead to shortages and delays in delivery. 

Within the next 45 days, the ITC will determine whether there is reasonable evidence that imports are harming or threatening to harm U.S. industry. If this standard is met, the case will be transferred to the Ministry of Commerce for further investigation.