Mushroom growers (Continued (rom Page A 24) of the U.S. consumption of mushrooms is a reasonable and fair contribution for the mushroom industry to make to the operations ofU.S. trade policy,” saidKooker. According to the AMI director, these continually increasing quantities of imported canned mushrooms have hurt U.S. mushroom growers considerably causing 25 percent of the growers to go out of business and causing eight of 29 canneries in the U.S. to fold. Earlier this summer, in a report to the president, the ITC said, “It is our view that „the domestic mushroom industry continues to suffer serious harm from import competition.” Imports of canned mushrooms from China increased from 17 thousand pounds in 1978 to 14.8 million pounds in 1900, prin cipally because China was granted lower duties under a trade agreement effective Feb. 1, 1900. In 1961, China doubled its exports to 27.4 million pounds by pricing its exports to the U.S. 17 to 37 percent lower than prices charged by Korea and Taiwan and under selling domestic mushrooms by 17 cents per pound. Kooker explained that in 1980, the U.S. mushroom industry petitioned the president and pursued unport relief from China. Carter responded by placing a tariff and quantitative limitations on mushroom imports. Duties Were increased by 20 percent that year, dropped to 15 percent last year, and to 10 percent this year the final year of import relief, Kooker said. But, in order to stimulate trade, China was given special con sideration and was allowed to export mushrooms duty-free to the U.S. under its “most favored nation status.” In effect, Kooker said, the U.S. financed the growing and processing of mushrooms in China. “Mushroom growers in the U.S. had accepted Carter’s increased duties as a deterrent —a chance to pull ourselves up by our boot straps through increased ef ficiency in growing and through alternative markets,” Kooker said, citing the trend for the U.S. mushroom growers to produce for the fresh market. “But, the duty acted as no deterrent to China.” With the economic hardships inflicted on U.S. mushroom growers by competition from imports, Kooker noted there was no money for growers to invest in developing fresh markets. “The industry realizes it is something that is necessary. Growers realize hit spring weeds when they’re down. The mulch you use on strawberries this .fall has weed seeds and volunteer grain. Left unchecked, they’ll germinate to cause problems next spring. Once these seeds sprout they cannot be controlled by residual herbicides. But Devrinol herbicide, applied now—before you mulch —will stop weed germination in spring. Use Devrinol preceding Use Devrinol now and the need. But at the same time they're asking: ‘Where are we going to get the money? Unable to compete with foreign imports in the U.S. market, and with domestic mushroom can neries folding, growers here in the states have begun “dumping" mushrooms into the fresh market and as a result are depressing prices by roughly 20 cents a pound. To avoid further price reduction, Kooker stressed the need to in crease per capita consumption of musiirooms by developing new markets and changing the public’s thinking. “We have to get the consumer to think of mushrooms not only as a garnish but as a full side vegetable,” he said. In order to achieve the needed research and promotion to keep the U.S. mushroom industry healthy, Kooker said AMI is “pursuing a questionaire of grower interest in a marketing order.’ ’ Earlier this year Sen. John Heinz and Rep. Richard Schulze in troduced legislation in both sides of Congress which would amend the Agriculture Agreement Act of 1937 to include mushrooms in marketing orders and to,allow paid advertising. The legislation remains in both the Senate and House Agriculture committees. The referendum would call for a progressive grower contribution up to a maximum of one cent per pound over a three-year period. To SclMthwlMrbfekS* rain or snow and prior to ground freeze, then apply mulch. You won’t have to worry about weeding, or weed competi tion, all the way to picking time. Ask your dealer for details, and follow label directions. Stauffer Chemical Agricultural Chemical Division, Westport, CT 0688 L Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 9,1982-A29 pass, the referendum would need said Kooker, adding mushroom two-thirds of the growers’ ap- growers are “Rhodes scholars” in provals. Once passed, the checkoff production but "school dropouts” would be mandatory, Kooker when it comes to promotion and explained, and everyone would marketing pay. The roughly $2.5 million that Kooker noted much work has to would be contributed by the be done in educating produce growers for promotion and managers on the proper way to research would be administered by handle mushrooms to mmntaip a 24 person board representative of their high quality from farm to production, he added. Large consumer, companies that carry' out brand The future of the mushroom advertising of mushrooms would industry hinges on the efforts be given 50 percent credit on their growers are willing to put into checkoff share. current legislative events, Kooker Why should growers vote “yes” stated, while urging fanners and on the proposed referendum? growers to contact their According to Kooker, it will Congressmen and enlist their provide the avenues for increased support for the orderly marketing demand through more Advertising agreement. He also urged support dollars. Currently Americans of the proposed referendum to help, consume only 2.5 pounds of build sales of fresh mushrooms. • mushrooms each year, compared with 7 pounds a year in Canada and 7.7 pounds in Europe. “Our per capita consumption could double with investment,” Stauffer Without the referendum “the market will build because of growers going out. Survivors will pick up what the others lose,” Kooker concluded. ■BAB LANCASTER FARMING FOR COMPLETE AND UP-TO-DATE MARKET REPORTS STRIKE IT RICH! SELL IT WITH A LANCASTER FARMING CLASSIFIED
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