According to government figures cited in the Washington Post, trade complaints by U.S. agriculture and industry against foreign competitors are soaring under President Trump to levels not seen in more than 15-years. There have been 79 new trade investigations since January, including disputes over Argentine biodiesel and Spanish olives, making 2017 the busiest year for anti-dumping and subsidy cases at the U.S. Commerce Department since 2001. American Farm Bureau trade adviser Dave Salmonsen.
Salmonsen says more trade means more cases, and the Trump team is bringing more government cases directly, while working on some disputes like dairy with Canada within existing deals like NAFTA. He says 2018 could be a “very active year” for trade cases.
Salmonsen says ag is always looking ‘over its shoulder,’ anticipating the unexpected, even when talks are on some other issue. He calls it a world of “integrated supply chains” that could even allow some sanctioned firms to escape U.S. tariffs by selling elsewhere or by becoming U.S.-owned firms.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.