Bayer urged the U.S. government on Tuesday to impose tariffs on glyphosate imports from China, sparking strong backlash from American farmers. Bayer claims that the chemical used in its Roundup herbicide is being sold in the United States at artificially low prices, and thus filed anti-dumping and countervailing duty petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission through its subsidiary Monsanto. The company argues that imported products from China involve predatory trade practices and subsidies, and states that under current conditions, domestic glyphosate operations in the U.S. are "unsustainable." As the only glyphosate producer in the United States, Bayer hopes that tariffs will offset the price gap between low-cost Chinese products and domestically produced ones. This move has quickly triggered intense opposition from U.S. farming groups. The National Corn Growers Association said Bayer is sacrificing American farmers’ interests for corporate and shareholder gains during one of the most difficult periods in agricultural economics in decades. The U.S. Soybean Association also warned that imposing import taxes on relevant products would restrict market competition, drive up costs, and harm farmers. Over the past four years, grain and soybean producers have already faced financial strain due to soaring input costs such as pesticides, seeds, and fertilizers.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1869493087473867/
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