The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) is helping U.S. companies register as interested parties to China’s anti-dumping investigation against imports of U.S. origin distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), an ethanol by-product.

The first step in the investigation involves helping DDGS producers register as interested parties, a process that must be completed no later than Jan. 17 in Beijing (which is Jan. 16 in the United States) and is further complicated by the need to translate all registrations into Chinese. Nearly 70 companies have already registered with USGC.

Registering as an interested party is an important step, since registered parties can qualify for lower, negotiated tariffs if there is a finding in the investigation. In contrast, unregistered companies could face the highest tariffs of all. Once the registration process is complete, Chinese authorities will begin a fact-finding process that will include investigations of specific company practices. To reach a final ruling against the U.S. trade, China must show evidence that DDGS has been dumped in the Chinese market at prices below what other buyers pay and that Chinese interests have been injured by the dumping. Provisional tariffs on DDGS could begin as early as June 2011. China is expected to make a decision on its findings by Dec. 28, 2011, though that deadline can be extended by six months if needed.

U.S. shipments of DDGS to China skyrocketed from almost nothing three years ago to more than 2 million metric tons in 2010 and may reach as much as 3-5 million tons in 2011.