Savannah, GA |
With rising costs and shifting markets, staying ahead in agriculture requires more than just good weather and fertile soil—it demands knowledge, strategy, and innovation. That’s why each year, fruit and vegetable producers from across the Southeast gather in Savannah for the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference, a one-stop shop for all things fresh produce.
Hosted annually in January, the event is strategically timed to give producers the tools they need heading into spring planting. It features more than a dozen commodity-specific sessions, countless vendors, and access to experts from across the country.
“This year we’ve had a big focus on technology and precision ag and how we can bring the technology to our growers to make them more efficient,” said Chris Butts, Executive Vice President of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. “We’ve been thrilled to work with the University of Georgia and Grand Farm on our new project, Innovation Row. We’ve got fourteen different commodity conferences going on at the same time with leading researchers and experts. It’s information that growers can take back and put into action on their farm this spring.”
And that actionable information, Butts says, can make a real difference in growers’ bottom lines—especially now that a nearly 30% increase in guest worker wages has been rolled back, easing financial pressures for the upcoming season.
“Our work isn’t done on that front. At any point, those rules can be undone,” said Butts. “So we’re looking to solidify and codify some of the positive changes that have happened to the program by working with Congress… showing them that we can shore up the program and make it sustainable for growers in the future.”
That effort is ongoing. According to Butts, keeping the issue front and center with lawmakers is key to protecting guest worker programs and safeguarding farms throughout Georgia and beyond.
“I think the future is bright because we have seen some positive changes and we’ve seen the willingness of Congress and other decision makers to listen to our needs,” he said. “At GFVGA, we’re working with a coalition of thirty-eight organizations, including Georgia Farm Bureau, to keep that issue front and center. We’ll be back in Washington, D.C. in February, because in our mind, it is the most important issue—it has the most immediate impact on the financial well-being of our farms.”
But labor isn’t the only issue impacting growers’ profitability. Imports—especially from Mexico—are undercutting domestic prices and making it harder for U.S. farmers to stay competitive.
“We have an import problem in specialty crops in the Southeast and other parts of the country,” explained Bob Redding, President of The Redding Firm. “There are a number of imports from Mexico that are coming in and pushing down U.S. prices… It can be seasonal, but there are also commodities that have the same problem year-round. We’ve seen a 550% increase in specialty crop imports since 2001.”
However, there’s hope for some relief. The United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade deal is up for review this summer—an infrequent but potentially game-changing opportunity.
“These windows of opportunity come along very seldom. They are not frequent,” said Redding. “And this USMCA review is a unique review process. We’re hopeful that a problem that’s been going on for a number of years can finally get addressed.”
By: John Holcomb