Posts By: Tracey Chow

AMS Releases 2019 User-Fee Rates for Voluntary Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Services

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has released the 2019 rates for voluntary fruits, vegetables and specialty crop services. The rates include pricing for voluntary grading, inspection, certification, verification and laboratory services for a variety of agricultural commodities. These services ensure the quality and availability of produce for…

US-Mexico Tomato Suspension Agreement Terminated, Imports to Face 17.5% Duties

On May 7, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the termination of the U.S.-Mexico tomato suspension agreement. This follows its initial notice of intent to withdraw from the agreement back on February 6, 2019. In response to a petition requesting an antidumping investigation of Mexican tomato imports, an agreement was reached in 1996 between the ...

From NAFTA to USMCA: What Has Changed and How Will It Affect Agriculture?

Looking back on the 25-year history of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the data and stories of success are plentiful. In our sector alone, U.S. fruit and vegetable suppliers are exporting nearly triple what was being done pre-NAFTA. That said, NAFTA has long received its fair share of criticism, including from the specialty ...