National corn and soybean grower groups in the U.S. are disappointed with decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission this week to move ahead with anti-dumping and countervailing duties on 2,4-D herbicide imports from China and India.
In its April 29th decision, the ITC said it determined that a domestic industry is “materially injured” by imports that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the U.S. at less than fair value and subsidized by the Chinese and Indian governments.
The decision follows a 2024 anti-dumping and countervail petition from Corteva Agriscience — the lone producer of 2,4-D in the U.S.
“The announcement of these final duties on imports is disappointing to soybean growers across the country who depend on imports of generic 2,4-D in combination with other herbicides for burn-down purposes to kill weeds before planting, particularly in no-till and minimum-till operations,” said Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association and a soybean farmer from Kentucky.
“We are concerned and alarmed by this ruling,” added Illinois farmer and National Corn Growers Association president Kenneth Hartman Jr. in a separate statement. “Corn growers should not be forced to rely exclusively on one domestic supplier. Today’s decision threatens to cause availability shortages for 2,4-D that will hamper the work of our farmers, who are facing a tough environment due to a prolonged period of high input costs and low prices.”
Corteva’s Enlist soybeans, which are tolerant to 2,4-D, are expected to account for the majority of U.S. soybean acres in 2025, but when testifying before the ITC earlier in April, Ragland said he doesn’t see the imported generics competing with Enlist-branded products.
“Imports of 2,4-D products do not compete at all with Corteva’s 2,4-D choline product that is required by law and by contract to be used with Corteva’s Enlist soybeans—and which have a 60 per cent market share that continues to increase every year. New duties on 2,4-D would make things even harder, further disrupting our access to reliable herbicide tools in our toolbox,” he said.
The U.S. Department of Commerce will now determine and issue the actual duty rates in the coming weeks.
The Canadian government has not signaled any consideration of anti-dumping levies on 2,4-D imports, however the North American supply chain and market dynamics could be impacted by the Americans’ decision to move ahead with duties.
There are more than 1,500 herbicide products in the U.S. that contain 2,4-D as an active ingredient.
Related: U.S. takes step toward duties on 2,4-D herbicide imports from China and India
