119 



MMntion 



By Senators Foley, r.cKay, Sullivan, 

 Bociar, Eilliams and Casas. 



A rcsnlutinn to exclude certain Florida agricultural products 

 from the proposed Xnrth American Free Cradc Agreement. 



ITHERE.AS, the health of nnr nation's people depends upon the availability of 

 a safe anu economical food supply as recognised in the 1990 farm Bill, and 



EHEREAS, Florida, because of its geographical location and climate, produces 

 more than 50 percent of our nation's supply of winter fruits and vegetables, and 



EKEREAS, oucr 500,000 acres of irinter fruits and vegetables, 700,000 acres 

 of citrus, 400,000 acres of sugar cane, and 35,000 acrrs of ornamental 

 horticultural plants arc gromn in Florida, and 



PHEREAS, Florida is the sole domestic producer of many fruits and vegetables 

 in the nation's marketplace during the it-inter months, and 



FHEREAS, it is essential tn nr.r natinn's security that irr r.r.t hcrnmc 

 dependent or, a foreign supply uf essential foods in the American diet, and 



EHEREAS, Florida's puhlic policy irith respect tn agricultural production, as 

 found in section 604.001, Florida Statutes, states "It is important tn the liralth 

 and me If arc of the people of this state and to the economy nf the state that 

 additional problems arc not created for groitrrs and ranchers engaged in thr 

 Florida agricultural industry by lairs and regulations that cause, "or tend to 

 cause, agricultural production to become inefficient nr unprofitable," and 



EHEKEAS, this state recognises the increasing importance nf fostering 

 international trade as a means Tor eenr.nnic development and maintaining global 

 competitiveness, and the significant role that agricultural trade plays,".-.:'.:', 



1HIEREAS, proposed expansion of free trade agreements to include other 

 sruthem hcr.isphcri: c nun tries including Chilr, i'encsne la, Braz.il, Csicsfiin, and 

 Argentina necessitates appropriate trade agreement formulation as a standard for 

 these future negotiations as sell as for current negotiations irith r.cxico and 

 Canada, and 



PHE8EAS, car.'.- rorcign countries dn not have regulatory or enforcement 

 capabilities to ensure fend safety and compliance irith phutosanitaru and 

 environmental regulations, and 



BHEKEAS, differences in u-agr requirements, fan:, irerker safctu, environmental 

 regulation, Barkers' compensitinu, and snverr-.mcs.taJ, land subsidies give foreign 

 groiccrs ar. advantagr ni'cr Florida groircrs, NCT, ^THEREFORE 



Be It Rcsoivcd hi; the Senate nf the State of Florida: 



