FWD: Florida Citrus Commission: NAFTA Expansion Will Devastate Flor

[MDOLAN <mdolan@citizen.org>]

  FORWARDED MESSAGE from  (GBUSBIN@SMTP {GBusbin@ns1.upstate.net}) at 9/08/97 
  8:23 PM
      LAKELAND, Fla., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the Florida Citrus
  Commission and the Florida Department of Citrus, representing the state's 
  14,000 citrus growers are planning to travel to Washington D.C. to express 
  the
  industry's concerns over the Administration request of Congressional 
  approval
  of broad "fast-track" trade negotiating authority for future Hemispheric, 
  trade talks to expand the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). 
  According to the Citrus Commission, expansion of NAFTA will devastate the 
  Florida citrus industry, an industry that employs more than 100,000 people 
  and
  provides an $8 billion annual economic impact to the state, ranking it 
  directly in size after tourism.
            In a letter presented to all 23 members of the Florida 
  Congressional
  delegation and the State's two Senators, the Chairman of the Florida Citrus 
  Commission, Howard Sorrells, stated, "Florida's citrus growers are 
  concerned
  over granting broad fast-track trade negotiating authority to the 
  Administration to form a Free Trade Area of the Americas, especially one 
  that
  includes Brazil.  Trade is a two way street; however, the growers of the 
  state
  of Florida have as of late been forced down one-way alleys of unfair 
  competition.  For instance, after three years of NAFTA, Florida citrus is 
  still not even allowed into Mexico.  Any orange juice concession to Brazil 
  would be unidirectional."
            Brazil the predominant exporter of citrus in the world, produces
  nearly
  twice the amount of oranges as the state of Florida, and due to lower 
  environmental and labor standards has a 30% lower cost of production.  
  Florida
  produced a record crop the previous growing season, producing close to 300 
  million boxes of citrus, and crop expectations are even higher for the 
  upcoming year.
            According to the Citrus Commission, Florida growers are
  continually under
  pressure from unfair trade competition.  For instance, Australia still 
  prohibits the importation of Florida citrus, yet Australian oranges can be 
  found on sale in the United States.  Additionally, China, the country with 
  the
  largest trade surplus with the United States still remains closed to 
  Florida
  Citrus.  Mexican and Caribbean Basin Initiative countries already have 
  taken
  advantage of liberalized trade with the United States under recent trade 
  agreements.
            The Florida Congressional delegation has called for a meeting to
  discuss
  the issue with industry officials and representatives on September 10 in 
  Washington, D.C.  This has been done in anticipation of the 
  Administration's
  formal request of fast-track trade negotiating authority, which Congress 
  anticipates receiving in September and voting upon in October.
            The Florida Department of Citrus is an executive branch of
  Florida state
  government charged with the marketing, research and regulation of the 
  Florida
  citrus industry.  All activities of the Department are funded by the 
  Florida
  citrus growers.
  ***** NOTES from MDOLAN (MDOLAN @ CITIZEN) at 9/09/97 8:40 AM