The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) updated the status of a legal process initiated several months ago toward possibly filing a U.S. trade law violation by lamb importers. ASI Executive Director Peter Orwick offered an update as the association awaits the results of a preliminary investigation.
“We are specifically looking for the estimate of trade case strength, which depends on two parts,” Orwick says. “One is injury to the industry – the entire industry, the sheep producers, the lamb feeders, and the lamb companies. The second piece is the estimate of any violation, including dumping and subsidy margins, so the board can project an impact on American lamb returns should a case filing result in tariffs on imported lamb meat.”
Pursuing a trade case against lamb import countries would cost a minimum of $1.3 million in legal expenses alone and require almost a year to see the case through to the end.
(From the National Association of Farm Broadcasters)