118 



cfo H % 



RESOLUTION 



WHEREAS, the nutritional content and safety of our food supply remain of 

 critical Importance to the citizens of Florida and the Nation; and 



WHEREAS, Florida produces the majority of the Nation's supply of winter 

 fruits, vegetables, citrus and cirrus products and is the sole domestic supplier 

 of many of these commodities for several months each year; and 



WHEREAS, eating fresh fruits and vegetables each day provides good 

 nutrition and can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer; and 



WHEREAS, agriculture is Florida's premier industry, generating more than 

 $6.2 billion in sales and providing jobs for more than 100, 000 Floridians; and 



WHEREAS, the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United 

 States, Canada and Mexico threatens Florida agri culture by scheduling the 

 eli mi nation of tariffs which may shift control of the production of our food 

 supply to a foreign nation; and 



WHEREAS, Mexico does not possess equivalent regulatory programs to ensure 

 that pesticide use, food safety, phytosanitary and animal health practices are 

 strictly monitored and properly enforced; and 



WHEREAS, differences in environmental protection, labor requirements, 

 farm worker safety, sanitation laws and workers compensat ion give Mexican 

 growers an advantage to the detriment of Florida growers in what should be a 

 fair trade agreement. 



NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Governor and Cabinet of the State 

 of Florida do hereby urge the Administration and Congress to exempt Florida's 

 winter produced fruits, vegetables, citrus and citrus products, sugar, tropical 

 crops and ornamental horticulture products from the North American Free Trade 

 Agreement tariff reductions until such time that Mexico compl ies wi th labor, 

 environmental , pesticide, phytosanitary and sanitary requi rements . 



Admini 

 labor, 



implem 



Admini 

 indust 

 food 



BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor and 

 stration and Congress to insist on compliance 



pesticide, phytosanitary. and "jsanixary-sregulat 

 enting legislation be* ore:ihe "agreement' is imp 



BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED/that the .Governor .and; 

 stration and Congress-to.'erophasize-r^he^role "of 

 ry in our nation's security by preserving dome 



Cabinet urge the 



in equivalent envi ronmental , 



ions and to require such in 



lemented. 



f *v » 

 Cabinet urge the 



our' fruit and vegetable 

 stic production of essential 



.^■liv&i wnwy*'. 



IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, the Governor and Cabi 

 have hereunto-subscribed Theirjjnaroes and. have -caus 

 State of Florida , to be hereunt.o_af.f ixed in the CLt 

 day of February, 1993. 



: of the State of Florida 

 ed the Of f 1 tial Seal of the 

 y oi_Ual_la.l.assee on this 23rd 



ter-TY CA-STpS 



cokm;ssl<wer of education 



