By Clint Thompson
Florida’s congressional delegation joined other legislative leaders in urging the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer to address challenges facing the specialty crop industry as part of this year’s review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Congressional members issued a letter to the USTR on May 12, highlighting challenges facing U.S. fruit and vegetable growers from increased imports, specifically from Mexico.
The Letter
“As you know, many American growers of fruit, vegetable and certain tree nut commodities and products are under unsustainable pressure from growing volumes of products unfairly entering U.S. markets,” the letter read. “These imports flood the U.S. market, often at the same time U.S. crops are reaching their peak in-season period, with prices at or below the cost of production for U.S. producers. Additionally, many of these commodities are seasonal and/or perishable, creating unique challenges for identifying markets as these products must be harvested, marketed and consumed within a limited window of time.”
The letter added that fresh fruit and vegetable imports from Mexico have increased by more than 550% in the last 25 years. It was driven by a competitive advantage, in favor of Mexico.
“Mexican producers operate with significantly lower labor and production expenses while U.S. growers depend heavily on the higher-cost H-2A program for seasonal labor. Because labor accounts for roughly half of total production and harvest expenses in this industry, these disparities create a substantial competitive gap,” the letter added. “Mexican farms also avoid many of the regulatory requirements imposed by U.S. agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Labor.”
The letter emphasized that without federal help, specialty crop production will move to foreign countries. It also highlighted comments made to the USTR by specialty crop organizations for consideration.
“We appreciate your consideration of our growers’ concerns and look forward to continued collaboration as the 2026 USMC review process moves forward,” the letter concluded.