H.R. 7015 – Agricultural Trade Improvement Act of 2018

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Updated April 16, 2026 at 12:02 AM UTC

The Agricultural Trade Improvement Act of 2018 changes the Tariff Act of 1930 to recognize “core seasonal industries” – agricultural producers whose output makes up most of a state’s harvest and who sell almost all of it during a short post‑harvest period. It sets new rules for how antidumping and countervailing duty investigations treat these industries, including how industry support is measured, when investigations can be paused, and how duty rates are applied only for the specific season affected. The changes affect U.S. agricultural producers in seasonal crops and the government agencies that conduct trade remedy investigations.

Key Provisions

Creates a definition of “core seasonal industry” based on majority production in a state and sales concentrated within eight weeks after harvest.
Updates the definition of “industry” in the Tariff Act to include core seasonal industries.
Sets a 50 % production‑support threshold for a core seasonal industry to qualify for antidumping or countervailing duty petitions.
Allows investigations to be suspended for extraordinary circumstances when they involve core seasonal industries.
Requires that any antidumping or countervailing duty rates applied to a core seasonal industry be limited to the specific season or cyclical period during which the injury occurs.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.

Trade Subcommittee

October 15, 2018

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 2, 2018

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Ways and Means Committee

October 2, 2018

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.

Trade Subcommittee

October 15, 2018

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued October 2, 2018

I

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7015

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 2, 2018

Mr. Curbelo of Florida (for himself, Mr. Lawson of Florida, and Mr. Diaz-Balart) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

A BILL

To amend title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930 to provide for the treatment of core seasonal industries affected by antidumping or countervailing duty investigations, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Agricultural Trade Improvement Act of 2018.

2.

Definitions

(a)

Core seasonal industry

Section 771 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1677) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(37)

Core seasonal industry

The term core seasonal industry means the producers—

(A)

of a domestic like product that is a raw agricultural product,

(B)

whose collective output of the domestic like product constitutes a majority of the total production of the domestic like product in any State or group of States that accounts for a major portion of the total production of the domestic like product during any discrete season or cyclical period of time that concludes not later than 8 weeks after the date in which the product is harvested, and

(C)

that make substantially all of their sales of the domestic like product during the season or cyclical period of time described in subparagraph (B).

.

(b)

Industry

Section 771 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1677(4)(A)) is amended—

(1)

by striking industry means the producers and inserting the following: “‘industry’ means—

(i)

the producers

;

(2)

by striking the end period and inserting , or; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(ii)

a core seasonal industry.

.

(c)

Interested party

Section 771 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1677(9)(E)) is amended—

(1)

by striking association a majority and inserting the following: “association—

(i)

except as provided in clause (ii), a majority

; and

(2)

by inserting or after States,; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(ii)

in the case of a proceeding under this title involving a core seasonal industry, whose members constitute not less than 80 percent of the core seasonal industry,

.

3.

Improvements to countervailing duty procedures for core seasonal industries

(a)

Determination of industry support

Section 702(c)(4) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671a(c)(4)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (A)—

(A)

by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as subclauses (I) and (II), and by moving such subclauses, as so redesignated, 2 ems to the right;

(B)

in the matter preceding subclause (I), as redesignated by subparagraph (A), by striking behalf of the industry, if— and inserting the following: “behalf of—

(i)

an industry (other than a core seasonal industry), if—

;

(C)

in subclause (II), as redesignated by subparagraph (A), by striking the period at the end and inserting , or; and

(D)

by adding at the end the following:

(ii)

a core seasonal industry, if the domestic producers or workers who support the petition account for at least 50 percent of the total production of the domestic like product in any State or group of States that accounts for at least 50 percent of total production of the domestic like product during the season or cyclical period of time specified in the petition, determined by averaging production over the 3 seasons or cyclical periods of time preceding the filing of the petition.

;

(2)

in subparagraph (B)(i), by inserting (during the season or cyclical period of time specified in the petition, if applicable) after their interests as domestic producers; and

(3)

in subparagraph (D), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking support and all that follows through domestic like product and inserting industry support in accordance with subparagraph (A).

(b)

Suspension of investigations for extraordinary circumstances

Section 704(c)(4)(A)(i) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671c(c)(4)(A)(i)) is amended by inserting (as defined in section 771(4)(A)(i)) after domestic industry.

(c)

Effect of final determinations

Section 705(c)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671d(c)(1)) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D);

(2)

in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking , and and inserting a comma; and

(3)

by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:

(C)

in cases involving a countervailable subsidy that affects a core seasonal industry solely during a specific season or cyclical period of time, the administering authority shall limit the application of any rate determined under subparagraph (B) to that season or cyclical period of time, and

.

4.

Improvements to antidumping duty procedures for core seasonal industries

(a)

Determination of industry support

Section 732(c)(4) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1673a(c)(4)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (A)—

(A)

by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as subclauses (I) and (II), and by moving such subclauses, as so redesignated, 2 ems to the right;

(B)

in the matter preceding subclause (I), as redesignated by subparagraph (A), by striking behalf of the industry, if— and inserting the following: “behalf of—

(i)

an industry (other than a core seasonal industry), if—

;

(C)

in subclause (II), as redesignated by subparagraph (A), by striking the period at the end and inserting , or; and

(D)

by adding at the end the following:

(ii)

a core seasonal industry, if the domestic producers or workers who support the petition account for at least 50 percent of the total production of the domestic like product in any State or group of States that accounts for at least 50 percent of total production of the domestic like product during the season or cyclical period of time specified in the petition, determined by averaging production over the 3 seasons or cyclical periods of time preceding the filing of the petition.

;

(2)

in subparagraph (B)(i), by inserting (during the season or cyclical period of time specified in the petition, if applicable) after their interests as domestic producers; and

(3)

in subparagraph (D), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking support and all that follows through domestic like product and inserting industry support in accordance with subparagraph (A).

(b)

Suspension of investigations for extraordinary circumstances

Section 734(c)(2)(A)(i) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1673c(c)(2)(A)(i)) is amended by inserting (as defined in section 771(4)(A)(i)) after domestic industry.

(c)

Effect of final determinations

Section 735(c)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1673d(c)(1)) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D);

(2)

in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking , and and inserting a comma; and

(3)

by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:

(C)

in cases involving dumping that affects a core seasonal industry solely during a specific season or cyclical period of time, the administering authority shall limit the application of any rate determined under subparagraph (B) to that season or cyclical period of time, and

.