U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) wants to give USD 10.6 million (EUR 9 million) in revenue collected from interest on antidumping duties on Chinese imports to domestic crawfish producers.
“Louisiana’s crawfish industry is more than just a business – it’s our culture. We’re standing up to China’s illegal attempts to hurt our producers, our processors, and our way of life,” Cassidy said in a release.
Along with U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota), Cassidy introduced the China Trade Cheating Restitution Act on 18 December. If passed, the legislation would require U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to release USD 38.5 million (EUR 32.8 million) the agency has collected as accrued interest on antidumping duties on Chinese imports between 2000 and 2014. Though the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act (CDSOA) – passed in 2000 – directs CBP to distribute the interest it collected on those duties to U.S. producers affected by the foreign goods, a number of delays has prevented the funds from being disbursed.
According to the lawmakers, USD 10.6 million of that fund is from interest on antidumping duties on crawfish imports and ought to be given to American crawfish producers as financial relief.
“Louisiana crawfish processors have taken a beating from unfairly traded crawfish from China,” said Adam Johnson of Bayou Land Seafood in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. “We are fortunate to have a senator, like Bill Cassidy, who is willing to stand up for the industry.”
The bill would also benefit a few other agricultural sectors affected by the antidumping duties, including mushroom, garlic, and honey.
“South Dakota is one of the top honey-producing states in the country,” Thune said in a release. “The unfair practice of circumventing U.S. trade laws, which jeopardizes honey producers’ financial security, should be met with strict enforcement and increased protections. South Dakota honey producers deserve a level playing field. This bipartisan legislation helps ensure fair treatment for affected domestic producers and strengthens their ability to compete globally.”
Previous versions of the bill were introduced in 2021 and 2023, though Congress never took action on the most recent version of the legislation.
Earlier in 2025, U.S. lawmakers introduced a bill that would make crawfish eligible for the Department of Commerce's fishery disaster relief program, which provides financial relief to commercial fishers and harvesters.
“Louisiana’s crawfish harvesters are a vital part of our state’s economy and heritage. This legislation not only recognizes that legacy, but it also ensures that when future disasters hit, they won’t be left behind. Including wild-caught crawfish under the Magnuson-Stevens Act is a simple yet practical way to give this industry the federal support it deserves,” U.S. Representative Cleo Fields (D-Louisiana) said in introducing the Fisheries Modernization Act.
No action has been taken on the bill to date.
U.S. crawfish harvesters have struggled over the last few years as they have faced drought conditions and an untimely freeze, both of which contributed to shortages and higher prices. Louisiana State University’s Agriculture Center (LSU AgCenter) estimated the sector lost USD 140 million (EUR 130 million) in revenue in 2023. Experts are forecasting a return to normal in the 2026 season, with LSU AgCenter Crawfish Extension Agent Todd Fontenot predicting a normal season.
“Nothing drastically has happened. We didn’t experience those severe high temperatures like we did two years ago with the drought. So, those conditions all look pretty favorable,” Fontenot told local news provider WWL.
