Today, the Senate followed the House in passing a bipartisan spending bill to fund the government through Sept. 30, 2016. The legislation ensures continuity for U.S. Apple Association (USApple) priority programs including the Market Access Program (MAP), Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), Specialty Crop Block Grants and Federal Crop Insurance.
Importantly, the bill also repeals Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for meat, ending a trade dispute with Canada and Mexico and averting the imposition of $1 billion in tariffs on U.S. products.
“This is extremely good news for the U.S. apple industry and we thank Congress for fixing this critical trade problem,” said USApple Chairman Mike Wade of Washington state. “Canada and Mexico are our top two export markets, valued at more than $450 million annually. If these tariffs had been allowed to take effect, it would have cost jobs and potentially put growers out of business from coast to coast.”
Resolving the trade dispute has been a top legislative priority for USApple and apple leaders from all of the major producing states, including Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Virginia, Idaho, Ohio and the New England states, all of which weighed in with their respective Congressional delegations urging action.