GILROY, Calif. — Breaking away from the position of many US farmers, Christopher Ranch, the nation's premier garlic company, fully supports the imposition of a 10% tariff on imported Chinese garlic (under the United States Trade Representative Section 301 Investigation). Christopher Ranch also applauds the decision of the US Trade Representative to raise the tariff to 25% on January 1st, 2019. For decades, Chinese exporters have flooded the US market with cheap and often illegally dumped garlic, and this tariff will help to level the playing field for American garlic farmers.
Recently, third generation farmer, Ken Christopher, flew to Washington DC to build bipartisan congressional support for the US garlic industry and to offer testimony to the US International Trade Commission in support of the enacted tariff. Officials from the Departments of State, Commerce, Homeland Security, Labor, Small Business Administration, and the office of the US Trade Representative were present to receive the testimony. His testimony in support of garlic tariffs is now available as a part of the public record. (Please see pg. 422-425 starting on line 13, and pg. 446 line 18) (https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/enforcement/301Investigations/0823USTR.pdf)
According to the US Department of Commerce, Chinese garlic exporters have defrauded the US government out of more than $600 million of billed but uncollected duties. This represents the largest single industry of the total $2.6 billionof total uncollected duties since 2001. https://www.gao.gov/assets/680/678419.pdf. Unlike past duties, the proposed new tariff would require that fees be paid in advance, preventing exporters from engaging in illegal duty evasion schemes.
"In broad macroeconomic terms, we recognize that an escalating trade war may not be in the nation's larger economic interest, but immediate relief for the US garlic industry is needed. Illegally dumped Chinese garlic continues to flood the US market, making its way to unassuming American consumers, and US farmers need our government's support. The anticipated tariffs of Chinese garlic will go a long way to restoring a longstanding injustice on American garlic farmers."
– Ken Christopher, Executive Vice President, Christopher Ranch LLC
Source: Christopher Ranch
