ITC: Blueberry imports not causing serious injury

(U.S. International Trade Commission)

U.S. imports of blueberries are in the clear.

The U.S. International Trade Commission on Feb. 11 determined that blueberries are not being imported into the U.S. in such increased quantities as to be a “substantial cause of serious injury, or threat of serious injury” to U.S. growers.

The ITC said in a news release that the determination was made in the context of an investigation initiated on Sept. 29 last year under section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. § 2252) at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative.

The commission’s determination resulted from a 5-0 vote.  Chair Jason E. Kearns, vice-chair Randolph Stayin, and commissioners David Johanson, Rhonda Schmidtlein, and Amy Karpel voted in the negative, the release said.

The ITC said, that as a result of the vote, the investigation will end, and the commission will not recommend a remedy to the President.                                

The commission will submit its report containing its injury determination and the basis for it to President Biden by March 29. The ITC said a public report concerning the investigation will be available sometime after that occurs.

“Very good news”
         

The Blueberry Coalition for Progress and Health, a group supporting blueberry imports, issued a statement applauding the ITC determination.

“The Coalition presented a straightforward evidence-based case before the ITC and proved that imported blueberries are not a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry,” the statement said. “In fact, the U.S. blueberry industry is healthy and thriving.  Together with imports, the U.S. industry is working hard to keep up with the year-round and growing marketplace demand for this healthy and nutritious fruit.”

The group said U.S. consumption of blueberries has experienced a more than a 300% increase in per capita consumption since 2005 and is now at a record high of 1.79 pounds per person.

“Restricting blueberry imports into the U.S. would have limited consumers’ access to these healthy, delicious, and nutritional berries with no benefit to U.S. producers,” the Blueberry Coalition for Progress and Health said in the statement.

Jorge Valenzuela, president of Fedefruta, the Chilean fruit growers assication, said the determination was “very good news for Chilean fruit growing and the blueberry industry.”

“Americans are large consumers of these fruits and the Chilean supply of blueberries in the North American market is complementary to the local one, since we are suppliers of fruit in off-season,” he said in a statement.

Fight will continue

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki said in a statement that the ITC determination was disappointing.

“This shows the need for greater reforms as Florida’s congressional delegation has proposed that would provide access to effective trade remedies for all seasonal producers – legislation which will be again introduced,” Fried said in a statement. “The data proves that Florida’s seasonal growers have suffered hundreds of millions of dollars in economic injury from foreign blueberry imports. With Florida producing farm-fresh seasonal and perishable commodities for 150 million Americans, we will continue fighting to prevent their being further seriously harmed by unfair foreign trade practices.”

Earlier, Fried had testified before the ITC that Mexico’s market share for blueberries had skyrocketed 2,100% since 2009, while Florida’s market share decreased 38% since 2015, which she said indicated serious economic damage.

The American Blueberry Growers Alliance said the group disagrees with the ITC determination.

“Throughout this case, blueberry growers across the United States provided the ITC with extensive data and personal experiences about the significant harm caused by surging imports on the supply and pricing of blueberries in the U.S. market, especially during our critical growing and harvest seasons,” the alliance said in a statement. We believed this data and testimony made a compelling case that safeguard measures were critical to the survival of our domestic farmers, and we are disappointed by the Commission’s decision.” 

The alliance said it believes U.S. trade laws must support a level playing field for American farmers.

“The outcome of this investigation reveals deficiencies in U.S. trade laws, which unfortunately will put the long-term viability of the domestic blueberry industry in jeopardy,” the group said, indicating the group will work with lawmakers for a solution. “Meanwhile, our domestic growers will face another year of economic uncertainty as they grow and harvest their 2021 blueberry crop,” the group said. “No doubt, imports will now accelerate to overwhelm our domestic market this year. This will cause even greater hardship on family-owned farm operations, as well as on providers of packing and freezing services, and damage to local communities and tax bases.”

The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association said in a statement that the ITC vote “does not reflect the devastation from imports we have witnessed firsthand on our blueberry farms across Florida.”

“Absent timely and effective trade remedy relief, the harmful impacts of these imports on the Florida blueberry industry will continue to escalate and darken the future for our growers,” FFVA said  in the statement.

“Trade relief is desperately needed, not only for our blueberry growers, but for our bell pepper, strawberry and other Florida produce sectors that are also facing harmful impacts and a highly uncertain future due to unfair imports," FFVA said. "To give our Florida produce growers a future and ensure that American families are not dependent on foreign imports for their produce supplies during the winter-spring months of the year, we will not stop until effective relief is achieved."

Future relationship

Lance Jungmeyer, president of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, said the ITC decision “spells future success” for the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement.

“Had the ITC tagged Mexico or Canada for injury or trade remedies, this could have unraveled the promise of the trade agreement, because the proposal to a have seasonal produce tariffs was rejected by USMCA negotiators,” Jungmeyer said in a statement.

While FPAA is pleased with ITC’s Feb. 11 determination, Jungmeyer said the group remains extremely concerned by the number of trade investigations opened recently by USTR on imported produce, especially key commodities from Mexico.

Mexican tomato imports already face U.S. trade sanctions, and the ITC has initiated investigations on bell peppers, strawberries, squash, cucumbers and raspberries, the FPAA said.

“By trade value, 42% of Mexico’s produce is under sanction or investigation by the United States,” Jungmeyer said in the statement. “Although we are heartened by ITC’s decision on blueberries, the previous administration left these investigations for the Biden Administration, which now must navigate a tenuous situation with Mexico, our top trading partner. The investigations that were requested by Southeastern growers were clearly the result of political pressure.”

Jungmeyer said the U.S. relationship with Mexico should focus on cooperation between the U.S. Mexico and Canada on agriculture, phytosanitary and border security issues.

“We need to get back to the business of feeding North America, keeping consumers supplied with affordable and nutritious foods. The complementarity of food supplies is why USMCA and NAFTA have been so positive for consumers and farmers,” he said in the statement.
 

 

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