From The Harvester, May/June 1998

FFVA BUILDS SUPPORT FOR IMPORT LABELING

NEW FACES BACKING LEGISLATION

On a warm February day, an improbable collection of federal lawmakers, consumer and labor activists, growers and reporters boarded a bus to tour Florida agriculture. The driver, a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, was taking his passengers along a route that would illustrate the need for keeping Florida agriculture competitive. Stops included Tallahassee, Quincy and Gainesville. At stake: jobs.

The tour, organized by the consumer group Public Citizen in cooperation with FFVA and other farm organizations, pulled Democrats, Republicans, labor leaders and growers together to form a sharply focused alliance. Said Public Citizen’s Mike Dolan, “We’ve seen thousands of farm-related jobs lost just since NAFTA. By working with FFVA, we can rally support for labeling and fair trade.”

A Legislative Powerhouse

On board for the farm tour were Representatives David Bonior (D-Mich.), Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.), Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) and John Lewis (D-Ga.). Representatives Allen Boyd (D-Fla.) and Karen Thurman (D-Fla.) helped to host the Florida tour. The lawmakers are all firm believers in the need for imported produce labeling, and wanted to see first-hand the impact imports were having on Florida’s industry. “We’ve got to get something in place that will let consumers know what they’re buying,” said Bonior, a leading figure in the fight to restore jobs lost to NAFTA.

Also hosting the tour was FFVA Board Member Jay Taylor, who staged a rally at his Quincy packing operation. “This farmers market would normally be filled with other growers and packers,” Taylor told a gathering of reporters and civic leaders. “But look around and you’ll see I’m the only farm still able to do business here. That should tell you what imports have done to our industry.”

FFVA recognizes that import labeling legislation will only pass Congress with a broad coalition of support, including consumer and labor organizations. “Clearly, many of these lawmakers are driven by labor’s interest in the labeling issue,” observed Ray Gilmer, FFVA Director of Communication & Education. “We’re inviting as many people as possible to get on board this labeling campaign, because every vote counts.”

A New Sponsor

In early March, FFVA’s coalition efforts helped to secure Rep. Gary Condit (D-Calf.) as the new sponsor for H.R. 1232, the Imported Produce Labeling Act. Condit, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee, is strategically suited to shepherd the legislation through Congress following the death of the bill’s original sponsor Sonny Bono. Passage of this bill remains a top priority for FFVA in 1998.