P.O. Box 948153
Maitland, FL 32794
www.ffva.com

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ray Gilmer or Barbara Wunder 321-214-5200

FLORIDA TOMATO CRISIS PUTS MIGRANTS OUT OF WORK

Maitland, Fla. (January 20, 2005) -Low consumer demand for tomatoes has resulted in lost work for hundreds of migrant farm workers across South Florida.
"Because some of the farms have not been able to pick, that translates into many harvesters not working, as well as some of the workers in the packinghouses not working," said Tony DiMare, president of DiMare Co.

Consumers are balking at paying the high prices many supermarkets are charging for tomatoes. A survey commissioned by Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association of several eastern markets shows some retailers are charging $3-4 per pound. By contrast, Florida growers are receiving less than 15 cents per pound - a price that does not even recover the cost of harvesting and packing. Growers cannot afford to hire workers with farm prices so low.

"Supplies of tomatoes and other Florida crops were scarce and prices were high following the hurricanes that hit Florida farms last summer, but we've been close to normal volume since Thanksgiving," said Mike Stuart, president of Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association. "If we can get consumers buying tomatoes again, we can get the farm crews back to work."

DiMare says some contractors have come to growers looking for pay advances for the workers. "The people they supply for the harvesting are all needing money. They're on very fixed incomes. If you have a work stoppage, these people are sitting down," he said.

"People forget that farm workers are the ones who can least afford to lose money during a market crisis like this," said Barbara Mainster, executive director of Redlands Christian Migrant Association, an organization that provides child care and educational opportunities for migrant and rural children throughout the State of Florida. "Every day that goes by that workers don't get to pick tomatoes puts them further in the hole," Mainster said.

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