“It is our responsibility to help our farmers, ranchers and producers as they work to feed families here in Florida and across the country, especially while they struggle with the effects of COVID-19 and unfair foreign competition. These initiatives will help all of those in the agriculture industry from farm to table, including laborers, commercial growers and producers, and agriculture transportation workers.”

“Florida agriculture is the backbone of our State’s economy, yet our farmers, ranchers, and producers have suffered from Mexico’s trade-distorting practices for far too long. Though we still have more progress to make, this is an important first step towards empowering our farmers and prioritizing the dire needs of our agriculture communities.”

“For too long, Florida farmers of fresh produce have suffered from Mexico’s unreasonable trade-distorting practices. Seasonal produce is vital to the state of Florida, which ranks as the largest producer of many seasonal and perishable products in the country. The Florida fruit and vegetable industry is especially vital to the health of my Congressional District, and I am proud to represent the largest citrus-producing district in the nation and many other growers of nutritious, seasonal produce.”

“Agriculture is the lifeblood of Florida and a crucial component of our economy, bringing food to the tables of millions of families across America. At a time when producers and growers are already suffering, we should not be giving foreign producers an unfair advantage over American producers. This will only exacerbate the challenges our farmers are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The market volatility and losses for the meat industry have been unprecedented and devastating. As we continue to watch the long-term effects on agriculture, we will respond appropriately to our farmers and ranchers here in Florida.”

“As farmers and ranchers in Florida and across the country are struggling to cope with the decreased demand for their products as a result of the economic shutdowns, more than ever we need to put America first and cannot give foreign entities a competitive advantage. Communist China is responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent economic damages that have impacted our nation’s farmers, and now they are trying to profit off of our hardship.

“Part of USDA’s larger response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Farmers to Families Food Box Program will help farmers move product while benefitting our local food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits. Florida is an important part of the nation’s food supply chain, and our jobs will quickly come back from this crisis thanks to Secretary Perdue and President Trump’s hard work.”

“The Farmers to Families Food Box Program not only helps our famers in need, but it also benefits the families struggling to put food on the table in a time of crisis. Agriculture is the lifeblood of our economy and I look forward to joining Secretary Perdue in Florida to support this program.”

“My district is home to some of the largest cattle ranches in the nation, and they have been suffering from price declines since mid-March. With prices still not recovering, the USDA should expand the cut-off for CFAP coverage to promote the agricultural industry and protect our farmers.”

“The trucking industry is victim to bureaucratic rules that delay deliveries and hinder safety procedures. I am pleased to see that FMCSA is starting to cut back some of the arbitrary time restraints and mandatory interruptions that lead to the spoilage of products and dangerous driving practices.”

“Farmers across Florida rely on the H-2A visa program each year for temporary agricultural labor. Given that the purpose of the H-2A program is to address agricultural labor needs, it seems only logical that we would rely on the Department of Agriculture to review and grant these visas.”

“Today, I voted in favor of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement. Florida relies on trade with Canada and Mexico to survive and thrive. From transportation equipment to machinery, to agricultural products, in 2017 alone, Florida exported $6.7 billion in goods to Canada and Mexico and we aren’t alone. Canada was the leading market for U.S. goods exported followed closely by Mexico in 2017. These allies account for 34 percent of U.S. exports and 35 percent of U.S. imports. They are our strategic partners and an important part of our successful economy. Continuing the long history of our successful trade relationship is essential to bringing the U.S. economy into the 21st century. By implementing the USMCA, we will be creating 176,000 additional American jobs and continuing to grow our economy by over $68 billion. American dairy producers alone will grow their access to up to 3.59 percent of the Canadian Dairy Market. This deal is a good deal for Florida and America. Now that this deal has passed, I am confident that Ambassador Lighthizer and agricultural leaders will continue to work toward a solution to address the issues facing specialty crops in Florida.”