{ "id": "RL34468", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL34468", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 457312, "date": "2016-12-01", "retrieved": "2016-12-09T19:08:53.618044", "title": "The U.S. Trade Situation for Fruit and Vegetable Products", "summary": "Over the last decade, there has been a growing U.S. trade deficit in fresh and processed fruits and vegetables. Although U.S. fruit and vegetable exports totaled $6.3 billion in 2015, U.S. imports of fruits and vegetables were $17.6 billion, resulting in a gap between imports and exports of $11.4 billion (excludes nuts and processed nut products). This trade deficit has generally widened over time as growth in imports has outpaced export growth. As a result, the United States has gone from being a net exporter of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables in the early 1970s to being a net importer of fruits and vegetables today.\nA number of factors shaping current competitive market conditions worldwide, and global trade in fruits and vegetables in particular, partially explain the rising fruit and vegetable trade deficit. These include:\na relatively open domestic import regime and lower average import tariffs in the United States, with products from most leading suppliers entering the U.S. duty-free or at preferential duty rates;\nincreased competition from low-cost or government-subsidized production;\ncontinued non-tariff trade barriers to U.S. exports in some countries, such as import and inspection requirements, technical product standards, and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements;\nopportunities for counter-seasonal supplies, driven in part by increased domestic and year-round demand for fruits and vegetables; and\nother market factors, such as exchange rate fluctuations and structural changes in the U.S. food industry, as well as increased U.S. overseas investment and diversification in market sourcing by U.S. companies.\nIn the buildup to the 2008 farm bill (Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, P.L. 110-246), the trade situation contributed to demands by the U.S. produce sector that Congress consider expanding support for domestic fruit and vegetable growers in farm bill legislation. Historically, fruit and vegetable crops have not benefitted from the federal farm support programs traditionally included in the farm bill, compared to the long-standing support provided to the main program commodities (such as grains, oilseeds, cotton, sugar, and milk). \nThe 2008 farm bill provided additional support for specialty crop programs, as well as organic programs. The farm bill also reauthorized two programs intended to address existing trade barriers and marketing of U.S. specialty crops, including (1) USDA\u2019s Market Access Program (MAP) to promote domestic agricultural exports, including specialty crops and organic agriculture; and (2) Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) to address sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and technical barriers to U.S. exports. The 2014 farm bill (Agricultural Act of 2014, P.L. 113-79) reauthorized and expanded many of the provisions benefitting specialty crop growers.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL34468", "sha1": "52791cff2961e612f26a1171d3a883a8170a6b0e", "filename": "files/20161201_RL34468_52791cff2961e612f26a1171d3a883a8170a6b0e.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL34468", "sha1": "9f7fdddb89539e6614dbb3f6f059d37d706d4740", "filename": "files/20161201_RL34468_9f7fdddb89539e6614dbb3f6f059d37d706d4740.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4829, "name": "Agricultural Trade & Food Aid" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4893, "name": "Agricultural Trade" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 457102, "date": "2016-11-18", "retrieved": "2016-11-21T15:05:56.398033", "title": "The U.S. Trade Situation for Fruit and Vegetable Products", "summary": "Over the last decade, there has been a growing U.S. trade deficit in fresh and processed fruits and vegetables. Although U.S. fruit and vegetable exports totaled $6 billion in 2015, U.S. imports of fruits and vegetables were nearly $18 billion, resulting in a gap between imports and exports of $11 billion (excludes nuts and processed nut products). This trade deficit has generally widened over time as growth in imports has outpaced export growth. As a result, the United States has gone from being a net exporter of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables in the early 1970s to being a net importer of fruits and vegetables today.\nA number of factors shaping current competitive market conditions worldwide, and global trade in fruits and vegetables in particular, partially explain the rising fruit and vegetable trade deficit. These include:\na relatively open domestic import regime and lower average import tariffs in the United States, with products from most leading suppliers entering the U.S. duty-free or at preferential duty rates;\nincreased competition from low-cost or government-subsidized production;\ncontinued non-tariff trade barriers to U.S. exports in some countries, such as import and inspection requirements, technical product standards, and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements;\nopportunities for counter-seasonal supplies, driven in part by increased domestic and year-round demand for fruits and vegetables; and\nother market factors, such as exchange rate fluctuations and structural changes in the U.S. food industry, as well as increased U.S. overseas investment and diversification in market sourcing by U.S. companies.\nIn the buildup to the 2008 farm bill (Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, P.L. 110-246), the trade situation contributed to demands by the U.S. produce sector that Congress consider expanding support for domestic fruit and vegetable growers in farm bill legislation. Historically, fruit and vegetable crops have not benefitted from the federal farm support programs traditionally included in the farm bill, compared to the long-standing support provided to the main program commodities (such as grains, oilseeds, cotton, sugar, and milk). \nThe 2008 farm bill provided additional support for specialty crop programs, as well as organic programs. The farm bill also reauthorized two programs intended to address existing trade barriers and marketing of U.S. specialty crops, including (1) USDA\u2019s Market Access Program (MAP) to promote domestic agricultural exports, including specialty crops and organic agriculture; and (2) Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) to address sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and technical barriers to U.S. exports. The 2014 farm bill (Agricultural Act of 2014, P.L. 113-79) reauthorized and expanded many of the provisions benefitting specialty crop growers.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL34468", "sha1": "3d5ebcaf21c7314fbf943cf6ae2e5075394b3e9b", "filename": "files/20161118_RL34468_3d5ebcaf21c7314fbf943cf6ae2e5075394b3e9b.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL34468", "sha1": "744f486db92b8c7658d8b061fdb10247d23987e6", "filename": "files/20161118_RL34468_744f486db92b8c7658d8b061fdb10247d23987e6.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4829, "name": "Agricultural Trade & Food Aid" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4893, "name": "Agricultural Trade" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 437047, "date": "2015-01-14", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T19:40:55.743339", "title": "The U.S. Trade Situation for Fruit and Vegetable Products", "summary": "Over the last decade, there has been a growing U.S. trade deficit in fresh and processed fruits and vegetables. Although U.S. fruit and vegetable exports totaled $7 billion in 2013, U.S. imports of fruits and vegetables exceeded $16 billion, resulting in a gap between imports and exports of $9.2 billion (excludes nuts and processed nut products). This trade deficit has widened over time as growth in imports has outpaced export growth. As a result, the United States has gone from being a net exporter of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables in the early 1970s to being a net importer of fruits and vegetables today.\nA number of factors shaping current competitive market conditions worldwide, and global trade in fruits and vegetables in particular, partially explain the rising fruit and vegetable trade deficit. These include:\na relatively open domestic import regime and lower average import tariffs in the United States, with products from most leading suppliers entering the U.S. duty-free or at preferential duty rates;\nincreased competition from low-cost or government-subsidized production;\ncontinued non-tariff trade barriers to U.S. exports in some countries, such as import and inspection requirements, technical product standards, and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements;\nopportunities for counter-seasonal supplies, driven in part by increased domestic and year-round demand for fruits and vegetables; and\nother market factors, such as exchange rate fluctuations and structural changes in the U.S. food industry, as well as increased U.S. overseas investment and diversification in market sourcing by U.S. companies.\nIn the buildup to the 2008 farm bill (Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, P.L. 110-246), the trade situation contributed to demands by the U.S. produce sector that Congress consider expanding support for domestic fruit and vegetable growers in farm bill legislation. Historically, fruit and vegetable crops have not benefitted from the federal farm support programs traditionally included in the farm bill, compared to the long-standing support provided to the main program commodities (such as grains, oilseeds, cotton, sugar, and milk). \nThe 2008 farm bill provided additional support for specialty crop programs, as well as organic programs. The farm bill also reauthorized two programs intended to address existing trade barriers and marketing of U.S. specialty crops, including (1) USDA\u2019s Market Access Program (MAP) to promote domestic agricultural exports, including specialty crops and organic agriculture; and (2) Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) to address sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and technical barriers to U.S. exports. The 2014 farm bill (Agricultural Act of 2014, P.L. 113-79) reauthorized and expanded many of the provisions benefitting specialty crop growers.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL34468", "sha1": "5c3bf9eb25b7a5114a3f5720c21addbcda36c95b", "filename": "files/20150114_RL34468_5c3bf9eb25b7a5114a3f5720c21addbcda36c95b.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL34468", "sha1": "30b99c8f4eef57482b8b0752e2511e9f76e36e10", "filename": "files/20150114_RL34468_30b99c8f4eef57482b8b0752e2511e9f76e36e10.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 217, "name": "Agricultural Trade" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc276902/", "id": "RL34468_2014Jan15", "date": "2014-01-15", "retrieved": "2014-03-05T18:18:19", "title": "The U.S. Trade Situation for Fruit and Vegetable Products", "summary": "This report presents recent trends in U.S. fruit and vegetable trade and highlights some of the factors contributing to these trends. This summary excludes trade data for tree nuts and processed tree nut products.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140115_RL34468_8a170630d2b1046f42ca21f0b91efbe28a38ec43.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140115_RL34468_8a170630d2b1046f42ca21f0b91efbe28a38ec43.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Farm produce", "name": "Farm produce" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Agriculture", "name": "Agriculture" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Produce trade", "name": "Produce trade" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Vegetable trade", "name": "Vegetable trade" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Fruit trade", "name": "Fruit trade" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc819210/", "id": "RL34468_2012Dec17", "date": "2012-12-17", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The U.S. Trade Situation for Fruit and Vegetable Products", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20121217_RL34468_73fa97e4efacebdebfcd9ef4b30af55a9a4abf96.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20121217_RL34468_73fa97e4efacebdebfcd9ef4b30af55a9a4abf96.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc817852/", "id": "RL34468_2008Oct15", "date": "2008-10-15", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The U.S. Trade Situation for Fruit and Vegetable Products", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20081015_RL34468_e645bceb6c04434a3b0f80a8261c524c9945606f.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20081015_RL34468_e645bceb6c04434a3b0f80a8261c524c9945606f.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc821410/", "id": "RL34468_2008Apr30", "date": "2008-04-30", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The U.S. Trade Situation for Fruit and Vegetable Products", "summary": "This report presents recent trends in U.S. fruit and vegetable trade, and highlights some of the factors contributing to these trends. This summary excludes trade data for tree nuts and processed tree nut products. Although not presented here, U.S. exports and imports of tree nuts and processed tree nut products (excluding peanuts) have shown continued increases, with a growing trade surplus of $1.8\r\nbillion in 2006.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20080430_RL34468_d21ae215bca7353d7aa85079f297ad071df2a01d.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20080430_RL34468_d21ae215bca7353d7aa85079f297ad071df2a01d.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Farm produce", "name": "Farm produce" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Agriculture", "name": "Agriculture" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Produce trade", "name": "Produce trade" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Vegetable trade", "name": "Vegetable trade" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Fruit trade", "name": "Fruit trade" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Agricultural Policy", "Economic Policy", "Foreign Affairs" ] }