08/03/05 C.A.F.T.A.-D.R.`s impact on blueberries

The Northwest fruit industry is among the strongest supporters of the Central American  Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement. C.A.F.T.A.-D.R. was recently approved by both houses of Congress, and signed into law on Tuesday. So why does our region's fruit industry stand to benefit greatly from this trade deal? An example used by U.S.D.A. Secretary Mike Johanns in a recent discussion on C.A.F.T.A.-D.R. with Oregon ag interests was blueberries. In Oregon, blueberries are a major cash crop. JOHANNS: Oregon farmers who grow blueberries currently face duties as high as twenty per cent in these C.A.F.T.A. countries. Keep in mind, their products come in duty free, but Oregon farmers are paying a twenty per cent duty. And Johanns adds the World Trade Organization allows C.A.F.T.A. countries to slap duties as high as sixty per cent on fresh and frozen blueberries. But as President Bush signed C.A.F.T.A. D.R. into law yesterday, duty free status on Oregon blueberries were granted immediately by most of the trade deal's participating nations. JOHANNS: And in the few where it doesn't immediately eliminate them, it eliminates them over a period of time. And similar duty free or gradual duty reductions in C.A.F.T.A.-D.R. are included for other Northwest fruit products.