Ga. farmers say they’re fighting for survival against cheap imports
CAMILLA, Ga. (WALB) - For the first time in history, America is looking at a $32 billion agricultural trade deficit, according to the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Association.
Georgia’s specialty crop farmers are being hit especially hard by imports coming from South America.
It’s a matter of national food security, and right now, Georgia specialty crop farmers are experiencing unfair price imports from Central and South America causing the White House to raise concerns if another pandemic occurs.
Skimmers stealing benefits from Ga., S.C. SNAP recipients
SNAP benefits are being wiped clean from some s and those who rely on the food stamp program say they’re not getting their payments — putting their livelihoods at risk.
“If we become reliant on other countries for our food, our concern is that the next time we have a supply chain interruption we might go without that food,” says Chris Butts, a member of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Association.
Georgia’s top industry is agriculture, which feeds the entire country. But specialty crop farmers in Georgia are facing a difficult time right now because of prices on imported specialty crops like blueberries, cucumbers, bell peppers and asparagus.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop met with state agriculture leaders Friday to highlight protection for Georgia farmers
“There is a real risk of the destruction of fruit and vegetable production in the United States if we don’t level the playing field for American producers, that’s why there is real urgency here,” Ossoff said.
Kemp announces more than $1 billion in tax rebates for Georgians
Gov. Brian Kemp announced plans to return over $1 billion to the taxpayers of Georgia through a third special tax rebate.
In a t effort between the House and the Senate, Bishop and Ossoff are working on a “Protecting our Produce Act.” It’s aimed at boosting resources and for Georgia specialty crop growers facing unfairly priced imports from Mexico and South American countries.
Ossoff says these imports are so cheap because they’re grown with “borderline slave labor” and without any environmental controls, such as regulations on the chemicals used in production.
The bill would establish a five-year pilot program to provide for certain specialty crop producers.
“This will establish private payments to certain US Seasonal and perishable le fruit and vegetables to the producers to give relief from unfairly priced seasonable imports,” Bishop said.
Ga. ballot measure would cap rises in homes’ taxable value
For Georgians unhappy about rising property tax bills, lawmakers say they have a solution — a limit on how much of a home’s increasing value can be taxed.
Farmers say they are taking a huge loss after Hurricane Helene and since most of their specialty crops were destroyed during the storm, the number of imported crops has increased.
“We’re competing against other countries that are at 15-20 dollars a day labor and so their labor is a tenth of what ours are and a huge part of our expense is labor and that’s not fair. This year, Georgia had a record number of blueberries come in and during our biggest week, we had 7 million pounds come in from Mexico competing against us, so they have an advantage with the labor,” says South Georgia blueberry farmer, Alex Cornelius.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
