A new study from the University of Georgia (UGA) breaks down the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on the Southeast’s fruit and vegetable industries. Southeastern growers and industry groups have been very vocal about the negative impacts of NAFTA. With the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (the NAFTA rewrite) coming down the pipeline, the industry continues to speak …
Georgia Grower Discusses Ag Labor in D.C.
By Alison DeLoach Bill Brim begins his testimony at 48:20. Growers in the United States are facing many challenges when it comes to the current H-2A agricultural visa program. On April 9, Bill Brim, owner of Lewis Taylor Farms in Georgia and board member of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, testified on his struggles with agricultural labor to …
Tomato Suspension Agreement Battle May Not Be Over Yet
The termination of the Tomato Suspension Agreement may be stopped in its tracks after associations representing the Mexican tomato industry have proposed changes to the agreement. The agreement was set to be terminated on May 7. The associations recently presented their proposal to the U.S. Department of Commerce. According to a report from Abasto (https://abasto.com/en/mexican-growers-tomato-imports/), the changes proposed by the …
Florida Ag Commissioner Urges Support for Fresh From Florida Budget
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried urges Florida farmers to make their voices heard now during this tough year for agriculture program funding. She says state lawmakers are debating key budget items between House and Senate versions that could leave some department programs woefully underfunded. One area of big concern right now is the popular Fresh From Florida marketing program. In …
2019 Trade Prognosis
Trade is always a top-of-mind issue for growers and industry leaders, and it can keep the industry on its toes as it is constantly changing. Bill Lane, executive director of Trade for America, gave his opinion on what the trade environment is going to look like in 2019 during his presentation at the recent Flower and Vegetable Seed Conference held …
Florida Tomato Exchange Wants Pact with Mexico Terminated
On March 21, the Florida Tomato Exchange appeared in front of the U.S. Trade Commission to argue why a pact known as the Tomato Suspension Agreement should be terminated. The pact was put in place to help Florida’s and Mexico’s tomato industries coincide peacefully. It’s no secret that Florida growers have struggled due to heavy competition from Mexico, and the …
DeSantis Environmental Projects Gets House Support
Gov. Ron DeSantis would get nearly all the money he’s requested for environmental projects in an initial House budget proposal for next year. A $3.97 billion proposal for the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission includes $607.4 million for Everglades restoration and water-improvement projects such as combating future …
Florida Senate Ag Chair on Water: ‘Science Is on Our Side’
During Wednesday evening’s Florida Cattlemen Association legislative reception festivities near the state Capitol, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Ben Albritton said water issues abound in discussion circles this year. In this brief report, Albritton emphasized agriculture’s presence in the legislative process is critical. He added that the facts about agriculture must be heard above misinformation and misguided rhetoric that too often …
Trump Budget Rapped Over Everglades Money
Environmentalists and some high-profile supporters of President Donald Trump are criticizing his proposed budget for not including enough money for Everglades restoration. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney, R-Fla., issued a news release Wednesday saying the White House budget request “failed to include sufficient funding for …
Florida Congressman Francis Rooney to ‘Deal with the Continuing Menace of Agriculture’
Singling out farmers south of Lake Okeechobee during a speech to area residents in Cape Coral, Florida, in late February, Rep. Francis Rooney (R – SW FL District 19) stated he wants to “try to deal with the continuing menace of agriculture in the EAA (Everglades Agriculture Area).” This video excerpt of the congressman’s comments, transcribed below, is now being …