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Federal plan will support specialty crop growers impacted by unfair trade

The Trump Administration has released a plan to address farmer complaints concerning Mexican produce flooding the U.S. market.

The plan by the U.S. Trade Representative and Departments of Agriculture and Commerce is in direct follow up to recent hearings on the issue.

Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue, in a recent interview with Brownfield while visiting Michigan, said while many of those farmers asked for protectionist policies, there are other ways to support growers.

“We’ve got to figure out if these other countries are subsiding things we can legitimately take to a countervailing duty and dumping court and prove our case, and we’re willing to that.”

The plan includes the USTR requesting the International Trade Commission to investigate increased imports of blueberries and serious injury to the domestic market as well as investigating imports of strawberries and bell peppers. 

Trade officials also pledged to start discussions with Mexico addressing concerns of imported strawberries, bell peppers and other seasonal and perishable products.

Other measures of the plan include establishing an outreach program for growers and formal channel to provide more information about unfair practices by foreign producers as well as improved market strategies for domestic produce.

An interagency workgroup has also been created to monitor and take action on trade issues.

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