(FDACS) — On Friday, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced that romaine lettuce associated with an outbreak of E. coli 0157:H7 is likely from the Salinas growing region of California. 40 illnesses have been reported across 16 states since September 24. Florida-grown lettuce is not implicated in this outbreak, and the FDA has indicated there are neither positive samples nor reported illnesses in …
Commissioner Nikki Fried on ITC Ruling on Mexican Tomato Threat
(FDACS) — The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) voted 4-0 affirming that imported Mexican tomatoes unfairly threaten the American tomato industry. The ruling came after the U.S. Department of Commerce recently re-opened the antidumping investigation that began in 1996, and after finding that Mexican tomatoes had been dumped into the U.S. market at prices 21 percent below fair market value, on average. In …
Romaine Recalled Before Holiday, This Time Packaged
A growing E. coli outbreak and advisory before Thanksgiving is reminding everyone of last year, but this one is less encompassing. Around 100,000 pounds of packaged salads are recalled due to E. coli illness reports in eight states. The salads are Ready Pac products from Missa Bay out of Maryland. Seventeen illnesses with seven hospitalizations have been reported. The products …
ITC Affirms that Mexican Dumping Threatens U.S. Tomato Growers
(FTE) — In a unanimous decision, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) made an affirmative determination that dumped Mexican tomato imports threaten the U.S. industry with material injury. This determination comes on the heels of an announcement last month by the U.S. Department of Commerce, which found that Mexican tomatoes had been dumped in the U.S. market at an average …
New Rules Aimed at Protecting Tomato Crops
(NSF) — New federal inspection rules go into place Friday on tomatoes and peppers, a month after Florida agricultural officials expressed concern that a virus had been found in tomatoes imported from Mexico. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that tomatoes and pepper fruit from Mexico, Israel and the Netherlands must be inspected for tomato brown rugose fruit virus, …
Georgia Pecans Enter Taiwanese Markets
GDA Expands Trade Efforts (GDA) — More than 51,000 pounds of Georgia pecans are headed to Taiwan and are expected to enter retail stores by mid-December. The pecan export purchased from a grower in Ocilla, Georgia is a direct result of bilateral trade efforts between Georgia and Taiwan. During October, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black joined representatives from the Georgia Pecan Growers …
How Farm Credit Associations Treat Hemp Farm Loans
In late October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced they were establishing the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program, which basically creates a consistent regulatory framework around hemp production throughout the U.S. So with efforts underway to get this established, some wonder how farm credit associations will treat farm loans for hemp. Chairman/CEO of the Farm Credit Administration, Glen Smith, recently told …
Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Rises Only a Penny
(AFBF) — The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 34th annual survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $48.91, or less than $5.00 per person. This is a 1-cent increase from last year’s average of $48.90. “The average cost of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner is essentially unchanged …
U.S. and South Korea Reach Agreement on Guaranteed Market Access for American Rice
(USDA) – United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue are pleased to announce that the Trump Administration has reached an agreement with the government of South Korea on market access for U.S. rice. Under the agreement, Korea will provide access for 132,304 tons of U.S. rice annually, with an annual value of approximately $110 million. …
Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association Conference
The Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) will hold its Annual Conference & Trade Show Nov. 21-22 at the Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center in Clanton, Alabama. During the opening day luncheon, the “Challenges and Opportunities in the Future of the Fruit and Vegetable Industry” will be discussed by Phil Brannon, professor of plant pathology, with the University of Georgia. This …