PALMETTO – Congressman Vern Buchanan met with Florida fruit and vegetable growers Tuesday to discuss his ongoing efforts to protect farmers against Mexico’s unfair trade practices. The meeting and press conference comes after Buchanan introduced legislation in Congress to help level the playing field for Florida against an unprecedented growth in imports from Mexico as a result of their unfair subsidies and illegal seasonal dumping.
“Today’s visit showed that Florida growers continue to be harmed by Mexico’s unfair trade practices,” said Buchanan. “I will continue to push for my bill to provide Florida farmers with the necessary tools to make the case that that Mexico is selling produce at unfairly low prices and urge Congress and the Trump Administration to protect them in future trade negotiations.”
Over the past five to 10 years, the Mexican government has gifted their agriculture sector with illegal subsidies to grow produce destined for U.S. consumers. And Mexican growers have dumped less-than-fair-value products into our markets. As a result, Florida has lost between $1 billion to $3 billion annually.
“Rep. Buchanan’s Defending Domestic Produce Production Act equips our seasonal and perishable industry with a workable mechanism to address unfair trade practices,” said Florida Farm Bureau President John L. Hoblick. “A solution is long overdue, and it’s time we stand up for free and fair trade for our Florida farmers. We commend the Congressman for his leadership, and look forward to working with the state delegation to encourage support.”
Manatee Farm Bureau President Gary Reeder, said Buchanan’s bill is “going to give us an avenue to be able to fight.”
Florida Strawberry Growers Association Executive Director Kenneth Parker stated, “Thank you Congressman Buchanan for championing our cause.”
Because Florida and Mexico share a similar growing season and produce a number of the same specialty crops, Florida producers have been particularly hard hit by current unfair trade practices and mounting Mexican imports flooding our markets.
Mexico’s unfair dumping is a direct threat to Florida’s 48,000 farms. Our agricultural sector supports 2.2 million full- and part-time jobs and has an estimated annual impact in the state of over $100 billion.
Buchanan is the lead Republican of the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, which has broad jurisdiction over international trade policy. As the top ranking Republican, Buchanan plays a leading role in shaping trade legislation in Congress. The Trade Subcommittee oversees tariffs, customs, bilateral and regional trade agreements and international trade rules and organizations.
Buchanan Fighting for Florida Farmers
A champion for Florida agriculture, Buchanan received the Friend of Farm Bureau Award for voting 100 percent with Florida farmers in the 115th Congress. As co-chair of the Florida delegation, Buchanan repeatedly led bipartisan efforts to protect Florida’s critical specialty crop industry in NAFTA renegotiations.
In 2017, Buchanan’s bill to help orange growers replace tress damaged by citrus greening and natural disaster was included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was signed into law by President Trump.
Demonstrating his longstanding commitment to bipartisanship, Buchanan previously led efforts in Congress to secure an unprecedented $125 million to combat citrus greening as part of the five-year farm bill that President Obama signed into law. The legislation also authorized the disbursement of up to $125 million in discretionary funding over five years to combat this disease.