News

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a statement after the International Trade Commission (ITC) voted in its Section 201 Global Safeguard Investigation to deny relief to Florida’s blueberry growers, who have been harmed by an influx of blueberry imports due to unfair trade practices by countries like Mexico.
 
“Today’s disappointing decision by the ITC ignores the plight of Florida’s blueberry growers, who have endured increasingly predatory and unfair competition from Mexican imports for years,” Rubio said. “Relief for Florida’s fruit and vegetable growers is long overdue, and I remain committed to securing immediate, effective, enforceable, and durable solutions to unfair import competition.
 
“I am a firm believer that food security is national security,” Rubio continued. “Tens of millions of Americans rely on food grown in Florida during the winter and spring months, when harvests cannot take place in the rest of the country. To ensure that America’s food supply chains are free from malicious market manipulations by foreign importers, we must ensure that Florida’s growers can compete in a fair market environment. Unfortunately, the current market is neither free nor fair. It is my hope that the Biden Administration will work with me, and Florida’s bipartisan congressional delegation, to chart a path forward from here.”    
  
Related:

• January 15, 2021: Rubio, Florida Republicans Urge Relief for Produce Growers From Mexico’s Unfair Trade Practices 
• August 13, 2020: Rubio Delivers Defense of Florida’s Seasonal Growers at Virtual Hearing
• January 16, 2020: English/ Español: Rubio Statement on Senate Passage of USMCA
• September 29, 2019: Rubio: Today’s Suspension Agreement is a Significant Win for American Tomato Growers
• August 21, 2019: Rubio Applauds New Tomato Suspension Agreement 
• August 8, 2019: Rubio Looks Forward to Conclusion of Antidumping Investigation on Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico
• May 7, 2019: Rubio Applauds U.S. Commerce Department Withdrawal From Tomato Suspension Agreement with Mexico, Resumption of Antidumping Investigation
• May 7, 2019: ICYMI: Rubio stands with U.S. tomato growers in our battle against cheap Mexican imports
• April 4, 2019: Rubio, Colleagues Raise Concerns to Lighthizer Regarding Lack of Effective Trade Enforcement for Seasonal Produce in USMCA
• March 13, 2019: Rubio, Colleagues Fire Back in Defense of U.S. Farmers, Administration
• February 1, 2019: Rubio, Yoho Lead Colleagues in Urging Secretary Ross To Support U.S. Tomato Growers Suffering From Unfair Mexican Trade Practices
• February 7, 2019: Rubio, Yoho Applaud U.S. Commerce Department Decision to Withdraw From Tomato Suspension Agreement with Mexico
• January 3, 2019: Rubio, Buchanan Re-Introduce Bill To Combat Mexico’s Unfair Trade Practices Hurting Florida Farmers
• September 26, 2018: Rubio, Nelson Introduce Bill to Combat Mexican Unfair Trade Practices Facing Florida Farmers