This is funny.  Those darned protectionists at ADM and Cargill are asking the U.S. Dept of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission to impose antidumping and countervailing duties against Canada and China.  Citric acid and citrate salts.

Last I checked, Cargill was leading the free trade bandwagon.  

And ADM was fined $100 million for price fixing in the citric acid market (also lysine) in 1996.

The following is from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: 

By Andrew G. Sharkey, a Pittsburgh native and president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute.

April 13, 2008

The real economic threat
China cheats -- at the cost of American jobs and economic growth

The current state of the U.S. economy has become the talk of the campaign trail. This comes as no surprise to those seeing rising prices at the gas pump, learning firsthand about skyrocketing energy costs, witnessing stagnation in job growth and hearing about the ever-increasing trade deficit. Over the next week, Pennsylvanians will continue to have the opportunity to have their voices and concerns heard as the presidential candidates court their votes for April 22 primary.

U.S. Trade Rises in February
 Drags Growth, Lowers GDP by $250 Billion

by Peter Morici

Today, the Commerce Department reported the February deficit on trade in goods and services was $62.3 billion. This was up from $59.0 billion in January and about 5.3 percent of GDP. The deficit was pushed higher by rising prices from many industrial supplies and materials and increased imports of consumer goods.
 
The deficit on trade in goods was $72.9 billion in February, up from $69.4 billion in January, while the surplus on services increased to $10.6 billion in February from $10.5 billion the previous month.

The weaker dollar against the euro, yen and other currencies of other market economies has boosted exports. U.S. manufacturers and exportable services compete head to head with many European Union industries, and the weaker dollar improves price competitiveness of U.S. products.

However, the dollar remains stubbornly strong against the yen and the currencies of other Asian mercantilists, because their governments intervene aggressively in currency markets to frustrate market forces, subsidize exports and maintain artificial cost advantages. For example, the blooming Chinese and Indian automobile industries would struggle with much more import competition if their currencies were fairly valued, tariffs were as low as those in North America and Europe and bureaucratic barriers to foreign auto sales were removed. Coffee exports from Nova Scotia would make sense with a trade regime like that on java beans.
 

I have reprinted a letter by Senator Debbie Stabenow to a Michigan constituent concerned about trade policy issues.  Her words have been backed up, generally, by votes, including voting against the Peru FTA.

*********************************** 

Dear [Constituent]:

Thank you . . .
 
. . for contacting me about the impact of free trade agreements on our country. I share your deep concerns about our current trade policies and am leading the fight to change course. Last year, I voted against the Peru Free Trade Agreement, and I intend to lead the opposition to trade agreements with Columbia and South Korea that are being pushed by the Bush Administration.
 
We live in a global economy that continues to grow and expand.  Over the last century, we have consistently proven that Michigan businesses and workers can successfully compete with anyone in the world when the playing field is level.
 
Unfortunately, persistent unfair trade practices by other countries are costing us jobs every day. (read more)