BY R-CALF | January 24, 2021
Billings, Mont. – Thursday January 21, 22 groups representing ranchers, farmers, manufacturers, and workers sent a letter to the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) in support of United States blueberry growers’ request for relief from surges of low-priced imported blueberries that threaten the viability of their domestic farms.
In September 2020, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) opened an investigation under Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 to determine if United States blueberry growers were being harmed by increased blueberry imports. The American Blueberry Growers Alliance, representing mostly small, family-operated blueberry farmers in states including California, Florida, Georgia and Michigan, alleged that imports of blueberries from Mexico, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Canada increased dramatically
Brad Haire
In December, U.S. blueberry growers launched the American Blueberry Growers Alliance to rally political support and awareness against rising imports. Southeast fruit and vegetable producers face a continued marketing crisis from imports.
Like other U.S. fruit and vegetable growers in recent years, U.S. blueberry producers face a continued marketing crisis from imports and are organizing to address the problem.
Last September in response to industry efforts, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer asked the International Trade Commission, or ITC, to start a Section 201 global safeguard investigation into increased blueberry imports and if they caused injury or threat to U.S. blueberry growers.
US blueberry growers testify to ITC about harm of imports
Members of the American Blueberry Growers Alliance, a group representing U.S. domestic blueberry farmers, provided information to the U.S. International Trade Commission during a hearing on the impact of rising imports during the U.S. growing and harvest seasons. According to the information provided, American blueberry growers across the country – mostly small, family-run farms – have been devastated by an influx in blueberry imports, up by 75 percent in the past five years.
“The massive increase in Mexican imports during our harvesting season has crippled the Florida blueberry industry and threatens its very existence,” said Brittany Lee, Executive Director of the Florida Blueberry Growers Association and owner of Florida Blue Farms. “Over the period 2009 to 2019, we saw imports from Mexico increase by 2,111 percent. We have experienced a significant decline in price per pound for fresh blueberries in Florida, an
U.S. blueberry industry groups testify at ITC trade hearing
January 13 , 2021
Groups representing two different sectors of the U.S. blueberry industry testified on Tuesday at a hearing before the U.S. International Trade Commission, as part of its probe into whether foreign trading partners are seriously harming domestic growers.
The Blueberry Coalition for Progress and Health, which was announced last week, maintains that imports haven t hurt domestic farmers and have in fact helped to grow the market to the benefit of all.
The American Blueberry Growers Alliance (ABGA) meanwhile claimed rising Latin American imports in the spring and fall were responsible for a sharp decline in prices over recent years.
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ Members of the American Blueberry Growers Alliance (ABGA), a group representing U.S. domestic blueberry farmers, today provided information to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) during a hearing on the impact of rising imports during the U.S. growing and harvest seasons. American blueberry growers across the country – mostly small, family-run farms – have been devastated by an influx in blueberry imports by 75 percent in the past five years, according to U.S. import data. Because of booming domestic demand, we should be enjoying a market in which there is room for both domestic and foreign growers to profit, said Jerome Crosby, Chairman of the ABGA Board of Directors and owner of Pineneedle Farms in Willacoochee, Georgia. However, foreign government policies targeting the United States market and large corporate import interests have combined to bring massive volumes of blueberries