United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association

Week In Review
September 8, 2000

Table of Contents:

United to Testify at Hearing on Fair Produce Trading Practices

United President Tom Stenzel will testify on fair produce trading practices before the Senate Small Business Committee chaired by Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) during a hearing on Thursday, September 14. United has made building fair trade practices a priority, working together with industry members from all parts of the distribution chain to focus on delivering greatest value to the consumer. Yet, with each new report of trade practice abuses, legislators and regulators are stepping up their investigations. Sen. Bond and Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Committee, held the first Senate hearing on slotting fees in recent history exactly one year ago on September 14, 1999. Since that initial event, hearings have been held by the House of Representatives and the Federal Trade Commission, and the Senate Committee's investigators have expanded their probe beyond grocery products to include books, computer software, compact discs, consumer electronics and fresh produce. The hearing will begin as United's Washington Public Policy Conference (WPPC) concludes, and it is anticipated that many United members and WPPC guests will be in attendance for the hearing testimony which will also include Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association President Mike Stuart and Western Growers Association President Dave Moore.
Details: Robert Guenther, rguenther@uffva.org

House Fails to Override Presidential Veto of the Death Tax

The House of Representatives failed to override President Clinton’s veto of H.R. 8, The Death Tax Elimination Act September 7. The House needed a two-thirds majority of its Members to override the veto, but was killed by a vote of 274 to 157, falling 14 votes short. Notably, 14 members reversed themselves since the original recorded vote in June which would have subsequently overridden a presidential veto.
Family partnerships, corporations, and individuals own 99% of US farms. With estate taxes – more commonly known as death taxes – as high as 55%, many family-owned farms must be sold to pay the government. When farms go out of business, many of the rural communities and businesses they support are lost as well. Although many producers use estate planning to protect their businesses from over-burdensome estate taxes, these tools are costly and require resources that could be better used to upgrade and expand operations. United and other business organizations have been working to eliminate this 84-year-old burden on the produce industry.
"Members of Congress need to fully understand the unfair nature of this tax and its associated economic consequences on rural communities," said United Vice President of Government & Public Affairs Robert Guenther. "Not only is it unfair, the financial hardships placed on family farm operations - including the need for estate planning - is debilitating to family resources."
Details: Matt Peterson, mpeterson@uffva.org

Final Action on Guest Worker Reform Expected Next Week

The House Judiciary Committee recently announced a hearing next Wednesday, September 13, to take final action on Rep. Richard Pombo's (R-CA) guest worker reform legislation, H.R. 4548, The Agricultural Opportunities Act. The measure which was approved on July 27, by the Subcommittee on Immigration now has 51 cosponsors and aims to address the present labor shortage in the produce industry with a three-year pilot program that would allow for extended guest worker stays and speed-up and simplify the current labor certification process with a new automated worker registry. The produce industry supports reforms to ensure that an adequate number of workers can be permitted under the H2A program under a simplified process to reduce illegal immigration and address labor shortages that cannot be filled domestically. Such reforms are needed to ensure that the U.S. produce industry can compete in the increasingly global marketplace. "With over 200 United Members lobbying Capitol Hill next week during the Washington Public Policy Conference, a strong message will be sent to Capitol Hill on the need to support the passage of H.R. 4548, to ensure that labor shortages within the produce industry can be met with legal farm workers in order to remain competitive in a global market place," said United Vice President of Government & Public Affairs Robert Guenther.
Details: Donna Denison, ddenison@uffva.org

United Members in the News…

United members have recently been getting a lot of attention from the national media. Karen Caplan and Jackie Wiggins-Caplan of Frieda’s, Inc. were featured in both the August 29 edition of USA Today and the September issue of Time magazine. Matthew D’Arrigo of D'Arrigo Brothers Co. of New York, Inc. was the subject of a feature on Fox News and Frieda’s and another United member company, Melissa’s/World Variety Produce, Inc., are mentioned in an article of the September edition of Food & Wine. In addition, Arnott and Kathleen Duncan of Sunfresh Farms appear in the September issue of Gourmet Magazine.
It’s great to see our members garner such positive media coverage. If you or your organization is mentioned or featured in any print or broadcast story, please e-mail it to United at united@uffva.org, fax it to 703-836-7745 or mail us a copy. Additionally, your United communications staff is equipped to assist you in preparing for any interviews - positive or crisis- related!
Details: Diane Cullo, dcullo@uffva.org