(UF/IFAS) — Pepper is popular. Consumers eat all kinds, including jalapenos, habaneros, chilis and more. Because people eat so much of the fruit, peppers are worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year to the Florida and national economies. In fact, in 2018, bell and chili peppers alone were a $181 million-a-year industry in Florida and a $628 million-a-year industry …
U.S. Department of Commerce Announces a New Draft Suspension Agreement on Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico
WASHINGTON, D.C. (USDOC) — The U.S. Department of Commerce initialed a draft agreement with Mexican tomato growers to suspend the ongoing antidumping (AD) investigation of fresh tomatoes from Mexico, ensuring that the domestic tomato industry will be protected from unfair trade. “For many years, there have been disputes over the roughly $2 billion worth of tomatoes that are imported from …
New Hemp Industry Buoyed by CBD Demand
TALLAHASSEE (NSF) — Hemp has been hyped as a lifesaver for Florida farmers, touted as a versatile crop that can be used to build houses, feed livestock and create clothing. But it’s the plant’s healing qualities that have sparked a second cannabis “green rush,” as the state’s hemp program gets off the ground. The nationwide craze for products containing CBD …
Potential Impacts of the USMCA on Florida and Georgia
By Karla Arboleda Two individual reports from the University of Florida (UF) and University of Georgia (UGA) say that the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) could lead to economic losses in both Florida and Georgia, respectively, if it is ratified by Congress. The renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been ratified in Mexico, and the United States …
Mexican Senator Misinformed on Antidumping Investigation
In a recent letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways & Means Committee, Mexican Senator Gustavo Madero made some confusing and misleading statements. Senator Madero states that the termination of the Tomato Suspension Agreement was “due to the demands of some Florida farmers and their representatives in Congress.” In fact, the …
Aromatic Strawberry Variety Grows in South Florida
As National Strawberry Day approaches on Feb. 27, University of Florida (UF) scientists have found another variety that can grow in South Florida. It’s largely unknown to American consumers, it’s temptingly tasty and it’s good for local markets, UF researchers say. Alan Chambers, an assistant professor of horticultural sciences with the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), led …
U.S. to Withdraw from Tomato Suspension Agreement
The Department of Commerce recently announced that the United States will be withdrawing from the 2013 Suspension Agreement on Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico beginning May 7. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross indicated in a statement that the decision is a result of complaints from American tomato growers that their prices are being undercut by imports. The 6-year-old agreement prevented an anti-dumping investigation …
FFVA’s Stuart to Trade Commission: Florida Growers Still Suffering
Cheap Mexican imports ‘decimate’ U.S. prices and market share WASHINGTON, D.C. — Farmers in Florida will continue to go out of business if the U.S. government fails to provide critical trade relief to combat cheap Mexican produce imports flooding the market, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association CEO Mike Stuart told members of the International Trade Commission on Thursday. Stuart’s testimony …
Exploring Alternative Crops for Hastings, Florida
By Breanna Kendrick Hastings is the potato capital of Florida, but local potato growers recently have been facing marketing challenges and contract reductions. Therefore, interest in alternative crops for the region is growing. Gary England, director of the University of Florida’s Hastings Agricultural Extension Center, and his team have been researching alternative crops for the Hastings area. They are conducting …
FFVA Comments on U.S.-Mexico Trade Deal
Mike Stuart, president of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA), issued the following statement regarding a trade agreement between the United States and Mexico: President Trump announced that the United States and Mexico have reached agreement on a new trade pact that does not include a specific trade remedy for specialty crop producers in the Southeast. This is not …