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How do we explain to our Nation's citizens and to our Florida farmers that a na- 

 tion with whom we are proposing free trade can use chemicals to grow crops that 

 have been judged either too toxic for us to use or too hazardous to farm workers? 



How do we explain to the farmer in Dade County devastated by Hurricane An- 

 drew and trying to decide whether to replant a grove of tropical fruit with no com- 

 mercial harvest for 5 years, that his counterpart in Mexico will not have to follow 

 the same environmental, labor and sanitary requirements he has to follow? 



How do we explain to our over 500,000 agricultural workers that Dr. Polopolous, 

 renowned agricultural economist, is forecasting that 100,000 will lose their jobs? 

 Many try to say for every job lost in agriculture, five will be created. I ask where? 

 It is sad indeed that the first jobs to be lost in agriculture after this agreement may 

 be focused on women and minorities. How do we explain to them? 



I am incensed at the accusation that we in agriculture are reactionaries and 

 doomsdayers. I am appalled that certain trade experts have suggested that our 

 farmers merely move to Mexico or rush to joint ventures and abandon their Florida 

 farms to those new, highly paid technical jobs that will be created for the ones we 

 lose in agriculture. Just for instance, average wages in the citrus industry are ap- 

 proximately $9.50 not including higher paid management. But even if we are talk- 

 ing about great losses in minimum wage jobs, to what professions will they be re- 

 trained? And where will we find the $30—40 billion Congressman Gephardt esti- 

 mates we need to implement NAFTA? 



We cannot become a totally service oriented society. We clearly understand our 

 vulnerability as a nation with dependence upon a foreign oil supply and we must 

 not become vulnerable by total dependency upon any foreign nation for food essen- 

 tial to our health and well-being. 



Florida's agriculture is a diverse $6 billion cash receipts industry with $48 billion 

 economic impact producing over 240 individual commodities that is the strength of 

 our State and provides wholesome affordable foods for consumers in the United 

 States and around the world. During the winter months we provide the only domes- 

 tically grown major fruits and vegetables. 



As a microbiologist and food scientist, I cannot stress enough the need for assur- 

 ance of the safety of the foods we eat. With up to an estimated 81,000,000 cases 

 of foodborne illness each year and with an estimated $4 to 10 billion dollar impact 

 in lost productivity and medical costs, we must assure our citizens that those who 

 produce foods for import into our Nation do so under sanitary conditions. 



As a matter of geography and latitude, Florida and Mexico will be in direct com- 

 petition in fruit and vegetable production. In addition, Florida as a subtropical State 

 is extremely vulnerable to imported plant pests and diseases. Our agency has spent 

 over $180 million in the last 15 years combating imported plant pests and diseases 

 such as Medfly, citrus canker, Thrips palmi, and a host of others. Phytosanitary and 

 animal health issues are critical to all of agriculture. Yet, we see even our own Na- 

 tion's defense diminishing: USDA's Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service 

 has proposed in their Visioning 2000 that inspections on imports will decrease and 

 indicate that "the reality that preventing plant pests from entering the United 

 States will eventually be an unrealistic goal." Competition is not the problem. We 

 can compete, and compete well — just not in an unfair system. Farmers are used to 

 change, to competition and to commitment. But, we should be fair in what we de- 

 mand of our farmers compared to our neighboring farmers to the south. 



To many sectors of the American economy, the agreement may be viewed as bene- 

 ficial. But we in Florida face possible loss of $2 billion in agricultural production 

 in addition to the estimated 54,000 to 100,000 job loss. This price is too high, too 

 unfair to our State and our Nation. 



Since the agreement before you contains an accession clause through which other 

 South American nations may be added, it becomes critical that the language of the 

 base agreement is fair, equitable and sufficient for the future. 



Florida agriculture fosters and supports increased international trade. We support 

 fair trade agreements, and recognize the need for a trade agreement with our good 

 neighbors to the south. 



THIS NAFTA IS NOT THAT AGREEMENT 



NAFTA as now written and the side agreements as proposed are fundamentally 

 flawed. Commissioner Crawford and Florida agriculture urge defeat of the unfair 

 Mexican pact. Resolutions of Florida's Governor and Cabinet and the Florida Senate 

 stress their agreement of the negative impact on our agriculture. 



Why must we accept an agreement so unfair in its treatment of fruits, vegetables, 

 citrus, labor, environmental, food safety, pesticide, and sanitary issues? 



