Earlier Wednesday, the ITC voted four to zero that there had been injury to the domestic catfish industry caused by imports from Vietnam.  This decision comes a month after the Department of Commerce ruled that Vietnamese producers and exporters of frozen basa and tra fillets have made sales to U.S. customers at less than fair values.   

“This landmark decision is a victory for our local catfish producers who have struggled to compete with Vietnamese imports,” Ross said.  “Our producers have lost millions of dollars as a result of the impact Vietnamese trade practices have had on our country.  First, they labeled another species of fish as ‘catfish,’ and then, after the amendment I added to last year’s Farm Bill prohibited that false labeling, the price of the fish was lowered beyond the cost of production to compete with our domestic product.  I am a proponent of fair trade, but these Vietnamese producers are not playing fair.  I thank the Catfish Farmers of America and all who have helped to bring this situation to light so that it could be corrected, and so that our local catfish producers will finally have an opportunity for success.”  

The dumping investigation comes after a June 28, 2002 antidumping petition filed by the Catfish Farmers of America.  Ross wrote a letter of support for that petition, and also voted for the Disapproving Most Favored Nation Status for Vietnam (H.J.Res 101) Resolution in protest of Vietnam flooding U.S. markets with frozen fillets at prices that hurt Arkansas catfish farmers.