The U.S. International Trade Commission hosted an all-day virtual hearing last week on its investigation into unfair trade practices by foreign exporters on cucumber and squash imports. The Packer Dot Com says the ITC expects to send the results of its investigation to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office no later than December 7 of this year. Florida Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried (Freed) testified at the hearing and talked about the injury to Florida’s $90.9 million cucumber and $35.4 million squash industries caused by imports. Since 2015, Fried says a surge in imports of fresh and chilled cucumbers and squash, predominantly from Mexico, has caused an estimated loss of 2,721 jobs, lost cash receipts worth $944 million, and $1.85 billion in a negative impact on Florida’s domestic produce growers. “I hope that you will employ all the tools at your disposal to provide equity and fairness for American farmers,” Fried says. Lace Jungmeier, President of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, says labor shortages, rather than damage from imports, are what’s hurting U.S. growers. He also says Mexico isn’t to blame because of severe weather that’s caused damage to Florida producers.
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