Washington, D.C. (FTE-October 14, 2019) — The Florida Tomato Exchange (FTE) has filed a request for continuation of the antidumping investigation of fresh tomatoes from Mexico. The investigation was suspended on September 19, 2019, when a new suspension agreement between the Department of Commerce and Mexican growers and exporters went into effect. U.S. trade law, however, permits domestic producers to …
FTE: USDA Should Act Quickly to Stop Tomato Disease from Spreading in U.S.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) issued an alert yesterday on the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), which was recently detected in Mexican tomatoes at several grocery stores in Florida. Multiple large-scale greenhouse operations in Mexico were confirmed to have shipped infected tomatoes to Florida. ToBRFV can affect both tomatoes and peppers, causing severe yield reduction …
Virus in Mexican Tomatoes Causing Concern, USDA Action Needed
Tallahassee, FL (FDACS-Oct. 9, 2019) — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is issuing an alert regarding a virus found in Mexican tomatoes imported into Florida and potentially other U.S. states. ToBRFV, the tomato brown rugose fruit virus, is a highly virulent virus that can cause severe fruit loss in tomatoes and peppers. Imported tomatoes potentially carrying …
USDA Invests $11M In Research That Will Support Specialty Crop Farmers
WASHINGTON (USDA-Oct. 3, 2019) — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary Scott Hutchins announced that the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has invested $11 million in research that will support specialty crop farmers. “This collaborative public-private research effort will focus on applying innovative solutions to pest management problems that often are otherwise not available to specialty …
FTE: New Suspension Agreement Is Step in Right Direction
Washington, D.C. (FTE-September 19, 2019) — The Florida Tomato Exchange (FTE) welcomes the signing by the U.S. Department of Commerce and Mexican tomato exporters of a new agreement suspending the antidumping investigation of fresh tomatoes from Mexico. The new suspension agreement includes strong monitoring, enforcement and anti-circumvention provisions, including border inspections, that should help eliminate the injury to American tomato …
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Censky on the Tomato Suspension Agreement
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Steve Censky recently visited a California winery to discuss the importance of ratifying the U.S-Mexico-Canada Agreement. In a phone interview with AgNet West’s Taylor Hillman before the event, Censky discussed the recent approval of a new tomato suspension agreement. Hear Censky’s full comments: Sponsored ContentTriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024SECURE FUNDING NOW | USDA-Sponsored …
Disease Watch for Florida Vegetables and Specialty Crops
By Karla Arboleda Gene McAvoy, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) emeritus vegetable Extension agent, discussed South Florida crop diseases during the 2019 Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo seminars. McAvoy mentioned diseases that are currently prevalent in the United States, like black tar spot in field corn, and how basil downy mildew has affected production in …
Perdue on New Draft Suspension Agreement on Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico
Washington, D.C. (USDA) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement after U.S. Department of Commerce announced a new Draft Suspension Agreement on Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico: “I want to thank my colleagues at the U.S. Department of Commerce for working diligently to reach a mutually beneficial agreement for tomato growers in both the U.S. and Mexico. …
Tomato Brown Rugose Spreading Globally
By Karla Arboleda Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is not currently in Florida produce, but the virus has a global track record. Detected first in 2015 in Jordan, and with outbreaks as recent as 2018 in California, ToBRFV is easily transmitted through contact. Ozgur Batuman, citrus pathologist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Southwest …
U.S. Tomato Growers Applaud the New Suspension Agreement
Commerce Department Commits to Strong Enforcement of U.S. Unfair Trade Law Washington, D.C. (FTE) – After 23 years of suspension agreements that never worked to protect American tomato growers from injurious dumping of Mexican tomatoes, the Mexican tomato industry agreed to a strong new suspension agreement, which U.S. growers support. The agreement establishes unprecedented measures and enforcement provisions that will …