Georgia growers fear cheaper Mexican produce will soon devastate their industry

[TexasTowelie]

WASHINGTON -- Georgia farmers are increasingly worried that state-grown fruit and vegetables could one day disappear from the produce section because of competition from an influx of cheaper Mexican produce.

Fruit and vegetable growers hope that the negotiation of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade agreement would give them another tool to fight plummeting produce prices.

But as the trade deal inches closer to congressional ratification—so far without the trade protections Georgia growers had sought—produce farmers are growing increasingly worried.

“It’s a matter of time, whether it’s five years, 10 years or 15 years, most of our southeastern produce growers are going to either go out of business and sell their lands into development or they’re going to change over and start growing other crops or just retire,” said Charles Hall, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, a state produce grower advocacy group.

Read more: https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article232150647.html