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Rubio, Curbelo Host Roundtable With South Dade Growers

Oct 24, 2018 | Press Releases

Homestead, FL – Today, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and U.S. Representative Carlos Curbelo (FL-26) met with members of the Miami-Dade County Farm Bureau for a roundtable discussion about Mexico’s unfair trade practices and legislation to protect specialty crop growers. Rubio and Curbelo recently introduced the Agricultural Trade Improvement Act of 2018, a bipartisan and bicameral bill that would allow Florida growers to bring claims of Mexico’s illegal dumping and subsidization to the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission.
 
“Today’s roundtable with the Miami-Dade County Farm Bureau was productive as we discussed the concerns of our Florida growers,” Rubio said. “Specifically we discussed how we can level the playing field for Florida’s fruit and vegetable growers who are unfairly competing with Mexico’s illegal dumping. One of the most important ways we can do that is by passing the Agricultural Trade Improvement Act of 2018, a bipartisan and bicameral bill that would allow Florida growers to denounce unfair trade practices by Mexico to the ITC and the U.S Department of Commerce.”
 
“The United States benefits greatly when we trade with partners and allies that share our same democratic values, but it must also be fair” Curbelo said. “Unfair trade practices that put American growers at a disadvantage threaten our economy and food supplies. While recent renegotiations of NAFTA have not produced positive results for specialty crop growers yet, Senator Rubio and I are dedicated to utilizing every avenue to secure protections for growers here in South Dade and throughout the state of Florida. Our bipartisan and bicameral legislation is just one of the ways we will continue to apply pressure and ensure specialty crop growers remain a priority in negotiations.”
 

Photos courtesy of Senator Rubio’s office.
    
 
Rubio is greeted by members of the Miami-Dade County Farm Bureau.
     
Rubio and Curbelo participate in a roundtable discussion with the Miami-Dade County Farm Bureau and local Florida fruit and vegetable growers.
          
Rubio and Curbelo hold a press conference at S&L Beans in Homestead, Florida.