Lawmakers urge quick USTR action on season protection measures

Florida lawmakers are urging U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to work with members of Congress to implement immediate trade relief measures for U.S. producers of seasonal and perishable fruits and vegetables.

The May 5 letter was led by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., Darren Soto, D-Fla., Austin Scott, R-Fla., Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., and Al Lawson, D-Fla., and signed by 39 congressional members from Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Washington.

“As you work to implement a U.S. trade policy that keeps American growers competitive and secures a safe and reliable domestic food supply chain, we look forward to engaging with you on a priority basis to implement trade measures in the near term that will allow our seasonal fruit and vegetable producers to continue to feed the nation and remain viable against unfair foreign competition,” the lawmakers said in the letter.

“With relief for our injured seasonal and perishable growers now not just a matter of fairness, but of food security for the country, we stand ready to coordinate quickly with you on a concrete action plan to deliver immediate, effective and enforceable relief that will enable these struggling sectors to compete against the rising tide of unfair imports.”

The Maitland, Fla.-based Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association called the letter a “positive step” toward market fairness.

“For decades, unfair foreign trade practices have continued to cause immense harm to Florida’s specialty crop producers,” FFVA said in a statement. “We cannot emphasize enough the importance of a timely, viable solution to help solve this growing threat to our industry. FFVA is encouraged by ongoing conversations with the USTR and looks forward to continued coordination with the USTR and elected officials to solve this longstanding problem once and for all.”