Fried ‘deeply disappointed’ in trade deal
TALLAHASSEE — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried isn’t joining the bipartisan support for a revised trade deal with Canada and Mexico backed by Republican President Donald Trump and the Democratic-run U.S. House.
Fried, Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat, said she was “deeply disappointed” protections for seasonal growers were not included in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which is intended to replace the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. The House approved the new deal, known as the USMCA, on Thursday.
“For nearly a year, I have called repeatedly for effective, timely relief from unfair trade practices for America’s seasonal produce growers in the USMCA,” Fried said in a prepared statement. “Florida remains committed to continuing our fight through all available channels to protect our vital seasonal produce industry and to put Florida’s and America’s farmers first.”
Fried estimated the revised trade deal, a priority of Trump that must still get Senate approval, will cost Florida farmers up to 8,000 jobs and $400 million in lost revenue due to seasonal “dumping” of tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, blueberries and cucumbers.
Fried has acknowledged some large agricultural interests in Florida are expected to benefit from the new deal but has pointed to a need to consider the “bigger picture.” That means protecting farmers unfairly affected by Mexico’s ability to dump “cheap, illegally subsidized” fruits and vegetables on the U.S. market without fear of retribution, as Fried described the situation earlier this year.
The trade deal was approved in the U.S. House in a 385-41 vote.
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida, the lead Republican on the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, said he continues to work with the Office of the United States Trade Representative to help Florida’s specialty crop farmers.
“International trade is critical to Florida, where exports and imports support 2.3 million jobs,” Buchanan, who supported the deal, said in a prepared statement. “Leveling the playing field for Florida and the rest of the nation, as well as increasing access to foreign markets is critical to growing the U.S. economy and creating good-paying jobs.”
Florida is the second-leading producer of fruits and vegetables in the country, supporting nearly 100,000 Florida jobs with an economic impact of more than $12 billion a year, according to Buchanan’s office.