Opinion: It Is Time to Defend Domestic Specialty Crops

Web AdminFlorida Grower

By Frank Giles As the heat of summer sets in, many specialty crops have finished their seasons in the Southeast. While most crops saw good production this season, markets were again impacted by foreign competition, especially from Mexico. Surging prices for key inputs like fertilizer didn’t help the situation. Even in specialty crops where volume was down due to weather, …

Fried Calls on Congress to Protect Florida Farmers

Web AdminFlorida Grower

Last week, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried submitted written testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management and Trade urging Congress to address unfair foreign trade practices causing decades-long harm to Florida farmers and the lack of protections for the domestic seasonal produce industry. “Our state’s fruit and vegetable farming industry …