California olive growers seek trade adjustment assistance
A group of California olive growers has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service for trade adjustment assistance.
The Olive Growers Council of California, based in Visalia, Calif., said that from Aug. 1, 2001, to July 31, 2002, increasing imports have contributed to a decline in domestic producer prices by more than 20 percent. The growers submitted price data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service to back their claim.
The FAS administrator has 40 days to determine whether the council’s growers are eligible for trade assistance, including free technical help from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, and adjustment assistance payments.