CWB Wins Court Case Over US Wheat Tariffs

The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) won a victory in trade court over US wheat import tariffs, the organization announced on 30 October, as reported by World-Grain.com.

The US Court of International Trade (CIT) ruled on 20 October that the US Department of Commerce must return any duties from tariffs that were unfairly applied to imports of Canadian spring wheat between August 2003 and February 2006.

CWB chair Larry Hill commented: “This ruling sets a valuable precedent for anyone who trades into the United States, including western Canadian wheat farmers. There are now clearer rules about what happens at the end of the process when a trade dispute is settled: it gives more meaning to our rights under NAFTA.”

An anti-dumping and counterveiling duty case launched in 2002 by the North Dakota Wheat Commission resulted in tariffs that virtually halted Canadian spring wheat imports into the US for almost three years, the CWB said. After the CWB appealed to a NAFTA tribunal, the tariffs were deemed to have been unfairly imposed and imports resumed.

The CIT concluded last week that the duties should be repaid. “Because the subject imports (Canadian spring wheat) caused no injury during any time relevant to this inquiry, CWB should owe no duties,” the court said.