Specialty Crop Trade Concerns and a California Dairy Success Story

Trade pressure on American specialty crop growers and an innovative approach to California dairy production highlight the latest AgNet News Hour. Mike Joyner of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association discussed the stakes surrounding USMCA and the Farm Bill, while Noel Rosa of Rosa Brothers Milk Company shared how his family's Tulare dairy transformed from a commodity operation into a growing value-added business.

Joyner, who also serves as co-chair of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, offered a stark assessment of competition from imported produce.

"I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that the survival of the Southeast specialty crop industry is at stake," Joyner said.

He pointed specifically to low-priced Mexican fruits and vegetables entering the United States during domestic production seasons. One potential solution being advocated by the industry is the use of tariff-rate quotas on vulnerable commodities, allowing a certain volume of imports before additional duties take effect.

Joyner also discussed efforts to complete a new Farm Bill. Specialty crop priorities include improved crop insurance, a more consistent disaster relief framework, stronger Buy American provisions and additional research into automation and mechanization. Despite recent setbacks, Joyner said he remains optimistic Congress could complete a Farm Bill late this year.

The program then headed to Tulare, California, where Noel Rosa explained how Rosa Brothers Milk Company took a different approach to surviving the ups and downs of dairy.

Rosa and his brother Roland began as commodity milk producers before deciding to process and market their own products. In 2012, they made the jump into value-added production and built their own processing facility, eventually making glass-bottled milk a centerpiece of the business.

The operation now controls much of the process from the ground up—growing feed, caring for and milking the cows, processing and bottling the milk, producing ice cream and distributing products throughout California. Rosa said developing a branded, value-added product has helped provide more predictable income compared to relying entirely on volatile commodity milk prices.

From the future of specialty crop trade to finding new ways to add value on the farm, both conversations provide a look at how American agricultural businesses are working to remain competitive.

Hear the full interviews with Mike Joyner and Noel Rosa on the AgNet News Hour.