U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and David Perdue, R-Ga., raised concerns with the administration’s lead negotiator for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada-Trade agreement regarding the need to protect Georgia farmers forced to compete with subsidized Mexican fruit and vegetable imports.
 
The senators joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in the Senate and House in a letter sent Thursday asking U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to address the legitimate concerns expressed by Georgia’s seasonal growers and to implement new rules to defend domestic seasonal and perishable produce from unfair trade practices.
 
“Fair, open and reciprocal trade is essential to America’s long-term economic success,” said Isakson. “I intend to do everything I can to help facilitate a level playing field for trade and ensure that hardworking Americans have the tools necessary to address unfair trade practices. Agriculture is Georgia’s largest industry, and our fruit and vegetable farmers are currently far too vulnerable to illegal dumping and other targeted efforts that undermine their ability to cultivate and sell their products at home and abroad. As members of Congress, we’re asking that America’s farmers have a seat at the table and the ability to air their objections to unfair foreign trade practices in a fair and open way.”
 
“Agriculture is Georgia’s number one industry and a major reason why our state continues to be the best state in the country in which to do business,” said Perdue. “The United States’ economy has evolved since NAFTA was signed nearly 25 years ago. As the Trump administration works to get a better deal for American workers and businesses, we must ensure that farmers and growers are treated fairly and have equal access across the world. It’s critical that we gain a level playing field that will allow our agriculture industry to compete globally.”
 
Providing a fair process for domestic seasonal fruit and vegetable growers to access the legal means to impose anti-dumping and countervailing duties “was not just an early objective of the administration’s North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiations, but was also referenced by Congress under current Trade Promotion Authority,” wrote the bipartisan members of Congress.  
 
“The [U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s] silence on the matter is significant and concerning,” the letter continues. “We strongly insist that the administration address this issue in a way that gives confidence to all seasonal growers that the federal government can and will act to counter legitimate injury from unfair imports from Mexico or any other country.”
 
A possible remedy would be to enact the Defending Domestic Produce Production Act, S.16, which Isakson has cosponsored, or through appropriate administrative action to establish equally effective, enforceable and durable remedies through existing trade authorities.
 
The letter was led by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and other members of Florida’s Congressional delegation. In addition to Isakson and Perdue, the letter was also signed by members of Georgia’s congressional delegation including U.S. Reps. Rick Allen, R-Ga.-12, Buddy Carter, R-Ga.-01, Sanford Bishop, D-Ga.-02, Jody Hice, R-Ga.-10, Austin Scott, R-Ga.-08, and David Scott, D-Ga.-13, along with other U.S. representatives from Florida.