Have you listened to the news lately? If so, you are aware that our nation is beset with concerns about food safety. And those in the beekeeping industry have had a hand in those concerns - as evidenced by ongoing problems with contaminated honey imports from China and Argentina. Just to give you a little historical perspective: First, in September 2000, the American Honey Producers Association and the Sioux Honey Association filed an unfair trade claim alleging that honey imports from Argentina andChina were being illegally dumped onto the United States market. The United States International Trade Commission and the United States Department of Commerce launched an investigation into the allegations. Second, in May 2001, the U.S. Department of Commerce made a preliminary determination requiring the United States Customs Service to collect antidumping duties on honey imports from certain Chinese companies. Third, in November 2001, the U.S. International Trade Commission made a final determinationthat the United States industry made up of beekeepers, beekeepers-packers, and packers was being materially injured both by the subsidization of honey imports from Argentina by the Argentine government, and by the sale of Argentine and Chinese honey imports in the United States at less than fair value. The end result of the proceedings was the U.S. Department of Commerce's imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties on Argentine honey imports, and antidumping duties on Chinese honey imports.
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