Blueberry growers have created a coalition to seek relief from increased imports.

The American Blueberry Growers Alliance (americanblueberrygrowers.com) plans to provide information and support to an ongoing investigation by the U.S. International Trade Commission into what the alliance believes to be serious injury caused by increased imports of fresh, chilled and frozen blueberries under Section 201 of the Trade. 1974 law, according to a press release.

"We have been speaking to Washington about unfair business practices for years," said Jerome Crosby, CEO of Pineneedle Farms, Willacoochee, Georgia, and chairman of the alliance's steering committee, in the press release. “Our family farms continue to be damaged by a flood of blueberry imports. We need relief and for our leaders to support American producers. "

The alliance includes blueberry growers in Georgia, Florida, Michigan and California, according to the statement.

“Many family farms have become victims of increased imports and are being driven out of commercial production as other countries increase production to deliberately target the US market,” said Brittany Lee, executive director of the Producers Association. Florida blueberries, in the statement. "If something is not done, we will lose the blueberry industry in the United States."

US blueberry imports increased by more than 60% between 2015 and 2019, according to the statement, with imports from Peru and Mexico increasing by 1,258% and 268%, respectively. That has pushed prices down, having a "devastating" effect on the domestic industry, the alliance said.

The alliance recently received the support of a 32-member coalition in the US House of Representatives. In a letter to the United States International Trade Commission, members of Congress.

“The significant increase in blueberry imports in recent years, the timing of such imports during the US harvest periods, the extremely low prices of imports and the orientation to the US blueberry market. Some of the foreign exporters have had a devastating impact on the blueberry industry. , ”According to a letter from legislators to the ITC. “… As the commission develops the evidentiary record in this case, it will become clear that imports are a substantial cause of serious injury to farmers.

We urge the commission to promptly make an affirmative determination in this regard."

ITC plans to hold hearings in early 2021 and then deliver a report to the White House, according to the statement. Under Section 203, the president will determine what action to take. Members of the alliance are providing data and evidence on how blueberry imports are impacting their production, pricing and marketing activities, especially during the critical spring and summer harvest seasons in the US.

At the August hearings, growers of blueberries and other fresh produce testified how imports, mainly from Mexico, make it harder to stay in business. The administration announced plans to remedy them on Sept. 1, and the Office of the US Trade Representative asked ITC to investigate imports of blueberries, bell peppers and strawberries.