Opinion: Tomato Growers Face Trade Fight
July 23, 2012 
Tomato growers, like many other fruit and vegetable producers around the country, are experiencing increased pressure from Mexican production. Competition is nothing new, but the unfair trading of product at “less than the cost of production” is an activity that can no longer be tolerated if a domestic industry is going to remain a viable business.
The tremendous expansion of capacity for tomato production in Mexico has resulted in the overall suppression of market value of both U.S. and Mexican tomatoes. Recent experiences in the market have demonstrated that the Suspension Agreement between the Mexican Growers and the Commerce Department, which resulted as a resolution of the 1996 Dumping Case, no longer serves the interest of the domestic tomato industry. Unfair trading practices are addressed in U.S. Trade law and industry groups have the right under those statutes to pursue their best interest.
Florida growers have reached out to establish a coalition of “like-minded” interests to exercise their collective right to defend the industry from unfair trade practices. As a first step in that process, the domestic industry has petitioned the Secretary of Commerce to allow the industry to withdraw from the 1996 Dumping Case. The withdrawal would result in the immediate cancellation of the Suspension Agreement the Commerce Department has with the Mexican growers. This action “clears the deck” for exercising U.S. trade remedies to defend American growers’ rights.
Protecting The Homefront
Domestic tomato growers are carefully reviewing their options under U.S. trade law. The Florida industry has historically provided jobs and economic energy to many areas of rural Florida as does tomato production in many parts of the U.S. The need to aggressively act to protect those jobs and businesses is urgent in the wake of a disastrous 2011-2012 season. It is very obvious that a lack of action on the part of the domestic industry will result in significant loss of jobs and economic activity.
All too often the response to such conditions is to complain and hope things will be better next year. This typical response is no longer a viable course of action. The amount of dumping of Mexican product in the U.S. market only continues to grow season after season.
Common Cause
The fight to save the domestic tomato industry will be costly both in money and time. But for those farmworkers, businesses, and families that have for generations competed fairly in the marketplace, it has become intolerable to allow the rampant unfair trading of produce to destroy our domestic industry.
The need for domestic growers to work together in the defense of their businesses is growing stronger by the season. I would hope that growers are not willing to “go quietly into the night,” but rather become engaged in their mutual self-interest to defend American agricultural businesses and jobs. The situation will change only if action is taken to change it.
Subscribe Today For
