Following McCaskill’s testimony, trade commission rules in favor of Missouri soybean, biodiesel producers

Following testimony by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill on behalf of Missouri’s soybean and biodiesel workers and producers—which support more than 17,000 jobs in Missouri—the government agency that decides whether American companies have been harmed voted unanimously on the side of the soybean industry, opening the door for the Department of Commerce to approve hefty double-digit duties on Argentinian and Indonesian biodiesel imports.

“Soybean farmers and biodiesel producers are cornerstones of Missouri’s economy, and given a level playing field, I know they can compete and win in the global marketplace,” said McCaskill in response to the favorable ruling by the International Trade Commission. “I’m glad we were able to get this done to help protect Missouri jobs, and I’ll keep up my fight for all the Missouri farmers, workers, and producers that help our economy thrive.”

The biodiesel market in Missouri supports more than 8,000 jobs. The soybean industry has created 3,000 direct jobs and 6,400 indirect jobs in Missouri, and adds $1.7 billion in economic benefits to the state. McCaskill testified last month that Missouri workers and businesses have been harmed by the hundreds of millions of gallons of Argentinian and Indonesian biodiesel that are unfairly being dumped into the U.S. markets.

The state of Missouri is the third-largest producer of biodiesel and a major producer of soybeans. There are six active biodiesel plants in Missouri, with a combined capacity of 235 million gallons. These plants, and their related crushing facilities, are located in towns like Deerfield, St. Joseph, Moberly, and Mexico and support hundreds of jobs in rural Missouri.

At that International Trade Commission hearing, McCaskill testified: “These workers, and my state’s economy, are being harmed by the hundreds of millions of gallons of Argentinian and Indonesian biodiesel that is unfairly being dumped into the United States. The biodiesel and the soybeans we’re talking about today aren’t just products of commerce—they represent jobs for folks in my state. And when those jobs are threatened by unfair trade practices on the part of a foreign competitor, I’m not just going to sit by, and neither should you.”

McCaskill is a longtime advocate for Missouri workers and businesses against unfair trade practices. Last year, after urging from McCaskill on behalf of Missouri manufacturers Bull Moose Tube Company and EXLTUBE, the International Trade Commission voted to level the playing field for Missouri and U.S. manufacturers by finalizing duties against foreign steel pipe and tubing producers found to be illegally dumping in the international market.