Florida Congressmen Introduce AD Duty Seasonality Bill
Three Florida legislators, from both the House and Senate, have reintroduced a bill that aims to change the rules of antidumping cases to benefit Florida fruit and vegetable growers who have lost market share to Mexican farms. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., said the bill "levels the playing field for Florida fruit and vegetable growers by allowing them to more easily combat Mexico’s unfair and illegal trade practices." Rep. Al Dawson, D-Fla., also sponsored the bill.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla, said the Defending Domestic Produce Production Act would allow farmers to bring trade cases if they can prove acts of dumping occur seasonally, rather than the current requirement of year-round. Last year, when Rubio also sought to pass such a bill, he said because the seasonality clause wasn't part of the new NAFTA, they'd get the same thing accomplished through legislation (see 1809270037).