Farmscape for May 11, 2005  (Episode 1804)

The legal team that represented US pork producers in the recently concluded action against imported live Canadian swine says an appeal of the final ruling is unlikely but the American industry will continue to watch the situation.

Last month, in its final determination, the US International Trade Commission ruled live Canadian swine entering the US do not injure US producers...ending US antidumping duties.

Mary Staley, with Collier Shannon and Scott, says it's unlikely the National Pork Producers Council will appeal the determination but it will continue to monitor the impact of the imports.

Clip-Mary Staley-Collier Shannon and Scott

Not surprisingly we don't agree with what the commission decided.

We disagree with their analysis that the domestic industry, US pork producers, were not being injured by imports.

We also disagree with their analysis that there isn't an imminent threat but, at this point although the time for filing an appeal hasn't expired, it seems unlikely that there will be any appeals filed of this decision to any judicial bodies, either the NAFTA Panel or the Court of International Trade.

Of course the pork producers will continue to watch the progress of the imports and will continue to look to the economists for guidance about what impacts the imports from Canada are having on the US producers.

The legal team is taking its cues from the economists at this point.

We're not advocating any type of course of action.

I don't think a case is imminent but we'll be continuing to monitor what's happening in the market place.

Staley says, rather than appealing this particular ruling, the NPPC may file a new complaint in the event the imports continue to create problems.

However, she points out, bilateral discussions between Canada and the US aimed at resolving the situation are ongoing.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council