Southeastern Members Push USTR on Seasonality Protections
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., joined by 15 members of the Florida House delegation, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and four House members from Georgia, asked the U.S. trade representative for an update on a private sector industry advisory panel of Southeastern fruit and vegetable producers.
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The group publicized a letter to USTR Katherine Tai on Aug. 9, which noted that her office said in October 2022 that such a panel would be established. That commitment was in response to members asking the USTR to initiate a Section 301 trade investigation on Mexican growers, the letter said. The USTR said publicly last year (see 2210240011) that it would ask the panel to "recommend measures to promote the competitiveness of producers of seasonal and perishable produce in the southeastern United States," and that administrative actions or legislation could follow.
An administration official said the panel is not yet set up, but the agency is hoping it will be soon.
"As you know, Southeastern fruit and vegetable growers face enormous challenges, including unfair trade practices by Mexico that are displacing our growers from the domestic American market. We appreciate your recognition of these challenges and your interest in standing up for Southeastern growers. It is imperative that the panel be established and convened as expeditiously as possible so that Southeastern growers’ concerns can be heard directly by the Federal government," the members wrote.