Peters Welcomes Anti-Dumping Petitions Filed By Cherry Coalition to Department of Commerce and ITC

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) welcomed the anti-dumping and countervailing duty petitions filed by the Dried Tart Cherry Coalition regarding imports of dried cherries from Turkey. The petitions will be considered by the Department of Commerce and US International Trade Commission (ITC).

“This is a welcome development as Michigan cherry growers continue to be harmed and see a significant drop in the price of their products because of unfair practices from foreign competitors like Turkey,” said Senator Peters. “This petition reinforces the critical need to pass my bipartisan Self-Initiation Trade Enforcement Act because many Michigan farmers and producers don’t have the resources to identify potential trade violations and bring them to the attention of the U.S. Department of Commerce. My legislation would ensure Michigan farmers and small businesses have an advocate that can address these trade abuses and help ensure a level playing field.”

Currently, manufacturers and agricultural producers face unfair foreign competition from others that use practices including dumping and subsidies on imported goods. Dumping is an unfair trade practice where foreign competitors intentionally lower the price of their goods to make it harder for American companies that produce raw materials, manufactured goods and agricultural products to compete.

In February, Peters reintroduced the Self-Initiation Trade Enforcement Act. His bipartisan legislation with U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) would establish a task force within the U.S. Department of Commerce to investigate potential trade abuses throughout the international marketplace and better ensure it has the tools and abilities to support American businesses looking to expand both here at home and around the globe. Peters spoke on the Senate floor urging his colleagues to pass his legislation.

While the Commerce Department holds the right to self-initiate antidumping and countervailing duty investigations, the power is rarely exercised. Peters’ bipartisan legislation is modeled after a recommendation within the U.S.–China Economic and Security Review Commission’s (USCC) 2016 report to Congress, and would help reduce the negative effects on targeted businesses. The Self-Initiation Trade Enforcement Act would create a team solely focused on studying trade data and subsequently listing potential disturbing trade patterns for formal investigation, with an emphasis on cases impacting small and medium-sized businesses.

Peters discussed the issue of cherry dumping directly with President Trump, who called Peters’ legislation “a fantastic idea.”

On Tuesday, Peters toured Shoreline Fruit’s facilities in Williamsburg and highlighted his Self-Initiation Trade Enforcement Act and efforts to target unfair trade practices by foreign competitors that undercut Michigan businesses and agricultural producers.

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