For the Florida Blueberry Growers Association (FBGA), 2018 was a big year legislatively. Brittany Lee, FBGA president, says the association worked hard this year to give a voice to the Florida blueberry industry.
One of the association’s main focuses this year dealt with the Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program. Lee says she and her colleagues worked closely with their local congressmen and senators to ensure the Florida blueberry industry would have a place in that program.
Secondly, the North American Free Trade Agreement, now the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, was a major focus in 2018 for the association. Lee says that the agreement does not include language that protects blueberry growers from steep Mexican competition, so she made sure to advocate the best she could for change. “We (the association) wanted to make sure our growers had an advocate in D.C. and locally in the state,” she says.
Looking ahead to 2019, Lee aims to continue being a voice for the Florida blueberry industry. “We’ve experienced significant growth in the past and we want to make sure we remain a staple in Florida agriculture moving forward,” she concludes.
Hear Lee’s full interview:
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