Just days after the one year anniversary of its filing, Corteva received a vote from the International Trade Commission in its favor relating to its petition filed on April 24, 2024 with the U.S. Department of Commerce calling for antidumping and countervailing duties on 2,4-D imports from India and China.
“Over the past three years, a large majority of the imports of 2,4-D into the United States came from China and India. We have witnessed a tremendous increase in imports coupled to a significant decrease in price of those same imports. As a result, Chinese and Indian producers are now selling to our former customers,” said Cynthia Ericson, Vice President, Weed Control Segment for Corteva in her April 1 testimony.
The Department of Commerce will now issue and announce the final duty rates on the imported products. More than 1,500 herbicide products contain 2,4-D as an active ingredient.
Grower groups testified against the measures
Leaders of the National Corn Growers Association and American Soybean Association responded to today’s vote of the International Trade Administration with disappointment.
“We are concerned and alarmed by this ruling,” said Illinois farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman Jr. “Corn growers should not be forced to rely exclusively on one domestic supplier. Today’s decision threatens to cause availability shortages for 2,4-D that will hamper the work of our farmers, who are facing a tough environment due to a prolonged period of high input costs and low prices.”
At the proceedings, Hartman was joined by ASA president Caleb Ragland, a soybean farmer from Kentucky, to testify.
“The announcement of these final duties on imports is disappointing to soybean growers across the country who depend on imports of generic 2;4-D in combination with other herbicides for burn-down purposes to kill weeds before planting, particularly in no-till and minimum-till operations,” Ragland said. “For soybean farmers, times are already tough. Production costs are nearing record highs. The prices of soybeans have decreased more than 40% in the past three years. Our herbicide options are becoming increasingly limited. Imports of 2,4-D products do not compete at all with Corteva’s 2,4-D choline product that is required by law and by contract to be used with Corteva’s Enlist soybeans—and which have a 60% market share that continues to increase every year. New duties on 2,4-D would make things even harder, further disrupting our access to reliable herbicide tools in our toolbox.”
