The U.S. Department of Commerce on November 5 granted a request from the government of Argentina to initiate “changed circumstances” reviews of U.S. trade duties imposed on Argentine biodiesel companies. The Department of Commerce imposed antidumping and countervailing duty orders earlier this year following investigations in which the government found that biodiesel imports from Argentina were massively subsidized and dumped, injuring U.S. biodiesel producers. The National Biodiesel Board’s Fair Trade Coalition urged Commerce to reject Argentina’s request and opposes Commerce’s initiation of the reviews, which could result in resetting the duty rates Commerce calculated only months ago.

John Heisdorffer, president of ASA, said in a Nov. 8 news release distributed by NBB, “ASA does not see any change in circumstances that would prompt a change in the previous determination issued by the Department of Commerce and International Trade Administration on this matter. U.S. soybean farmers appreciate the Administration’s recognition that subsidized imports of biodiesel from Argentina distort markets and adversely impact U.S. producers and farmers. We are concerned that this proceeding has the potential to disturb these well-founded determinations.”

The Commerce Department’s changed circumstances review process typically takes 270 days, meaning a final determination could come by August 2019.

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