News

UPDATE – Response to China Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Actions on U.S. Sorghum Imports

NAEGA continues to lead and administer a Special Interest Group (SIG) of interested companies wishing to participate in a joint response to China’s self-initiated anti-dumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) case on U.S. sorghum imports. The SIG is cooperating with the U.S. Grains Council and National Sorghum Producers to provide for timely, consistent and coordinated responses and information sharing. Currently, the SIG is circulating a Common Interest Agreement (CIA) that will allow further participation and coordination between industry during this case. Agreeing to this CIA is a prerequisite to participating in the SIG.

All exporters who are interested in participating in the SIG should immediately contact Ryan (rolson@naega.org) in order be included in this effort.

Background: This action comes against the backdrop of a number trade cases currently underway or recently completed between the U.S. and China, including steel, washing machines, solar panels and intellectual property.

On Sunday, February 4 the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China self-initiated trade remedy actions on imported sorghum originating in the United States.  The actions by the Bureau of Trade Relief are detailed in Notice 2018 No. 12 re: Article 18 of the "Anti-Dumping Regulations of the People's Republic of China” and the "Anti-subsidy Regulations of the People's Republic of China". Preliminary duties have been identified and are expected to be applied in a few months. The Ministry will now investigate over the next year whether the U.S. government subsidizes sorghum farmers, allowing exporters to sell into the Chinese market at a loss. 

Now that the February 24 registration deadline has passed, the NAEGA led SIG will meet to determine next steps and a coordinated defense within the parameters of the common interest agreement.

Marketing Opportunity: NAEGA Annual Meeting – Scottsdale, AZ – March 18-19

All NAEGA members interested in distributing company marketing or information resources at the NAEGA Annual Meetings should contact Ryan (rolson@naega.org) for more information.

Space is available at the NAEGA member check-in table at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa for member and associate member companies to distribute marketing materials including pamphlets or flyers. The check-in table will be located in the Hall of State and will be adjacent to the NGFA Annual Convention check-in table. The table will be staffed part-time, and marketing materials may be left out for collection during regular meeting and convention hours. Members are responsible for shipping all materials to Scottsdale.

If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity please contact Ryan. All materials must arrive in Scottsdale by March 17, 2018.

NAEGA 2 Revisions Briefing (March 30, 2018 Revisions) – Scottsdale, AZ – March 19

All NAEGA members are invited to attend a briefing on the NAEGA 2 Model Contract (March 30, 2018 Revision) at 10:00am on March 19 in the Kierland 1A room of the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa.

If you are interested in attending please RSVP here.

On January 30, 2018 the NAEGA Board of Directors approved revisions to the NAEGA 2 Model Contract to be implemented on March 30, 2018. In preparation for the release of these revisions, NAEGA will be holding a briefing on March 19 in Scottsdale led by Contracts Committee chairman Andrew Marting. During the briefing, participants will review the changes to the NAEGA 2 Model Contract and discuss implementation and intended impacts.

Barge Doc Digitization Workshop

Last week NAEGA and NGFA sponsored a successful value assessment workshop on barge document digitization.

The workshop, facilitated by Mark Lewis of Communique, LLP, was an opportunity to engage industry stakeholders and needed experts in a fact and opinion finding mission to examine possibilities for digital solutions to be applied to Mississippi River barge documentation and perhaps lead to proof of concept and business plan development. Thank you to all who joined us in New Orleans!

Now that the workshop has concluded, Communique, LLP will be providing NAEGA and NGFA with a report on the workshop’s proceeding and recommendations for next steps. This report will help inform strategies for moving forward.

IGTC briefing with COCERAL Secretary General

This week IGTC Secretariat Katy Lee met with COCERAL’s new secretary general Iliana Axiotiades and head of policy Kevin Bosc. Following the departure of Teresa Babuscio as COCERAL secretary general and IGTC vice-president, the IGTC secretariat has been working closely with COCERAL staff to brief new leadership on policy files and initiatives.

U.S. DOC 232 Recommendations on Steel and Aluminum

On Friday, February 16 the U.S. Department of Commerce released its investigations into the impact on our national security from imports of steel mill products and from imports of wrought and unwrought aluminum. Carried out under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 these reports analyzed the impact that steel and aluminum imports have had on the domestic producers and the implications for U.S. national security. The reports recommended that a 63 percent quota or a 24 percent tariff be levied on steel products and a 86.7 percent quota or a 7.7 percent tariff be levied on aluminum products. The report alleges that these mechanisms would raise domestic prices high enough to allow domestic producer to meet a profitable production capacity.

NAFTA Update

This week the NAFTA parties are participating in intersessional discussions ahead of the 7th round of negotiations in Mexico City on February 25-March 3. Ahead of this round there is anticipation that Canada may submit a proposal to fully eliminate the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provision part of a larger bargain in the negotiations, opening the door for possible U.S. concessions on Canadian and Mexican priority areas. This proposal, as part of a “conceptual proposal of possible landing zones,” is part of a series of efforts by the Canadian chief negotiators to construct possible compromise areas that would allow flexibility when renegotiating the broader investment protections in the chapter.