Red Raspberries and Trade

Red Raspberries and Trade

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today's Fruit Grower Report, I'm Bob Larson. Whether it's over-regulation, or tariffs, or unresolved trade pacts, most of our ag producers have felt the impact to one degree or another, some worse than others.

Washington Red Raspberry Commission executive director, Henry Bierlink says they're no different ...

BIERLINK ... "Well, I think that like most ag, the trade issues are pretty big in ag right now and that is certainly true in raspberries as well, is that we are looking at trade laws and different tools to be able to try and protect our domestic industry and that is a challenge."

So, Bierlink says whether it's trade talks with China or ratification of the USMCA, let's move this to the finish line ...

BIERLINK ... "It's time for us to get a few of those kind of things done. I don't think it was a dramatic change, at least not for berries from NAFTA, but you know we just need some clarification on what the rules are and how we can move forward and when we're kind of hanging out there not sure of where they are, that's never good for business."

But in the meantime, Bierlink says they're working on other plans to help the raspberry industry ...

BIERLINK ... "Also working on funding, a new position at WSU in plant breeding. That's another big interest of ours. We have one that's been in existing down in Puyallup for about 80-some years and we're hoping to move the up towards Lynden, which is where most of the raspberries are now, and kind of reenergize that program here in the near future."

Bierlink says there are a lot of tools out there and they're doing their best to initiate some movement on several fronts.

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