AFBF Disappointed in Blueberry Investigation Ruling

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the International Trade Commission (ITC) Section 202 ruling on blueberry imports.

 

“The American Farm Bureau Federation is disappointed that the International Trade Commission failed to recognize the damage certain imports are doing to America’s hardworking farmers.

 

“Seasonal fruit and vegetable farmers face unfair competition from foreign growers and today’s decision demonstrates that much work still needs to be done to address international trade imbalances. Increases in lower-priced fresh, chilled and frozen blueberries during seasonal harvest times in the U.S. leads to lower prices for domestic growers. Since domestic farmers are price-takers, not price-makers, they need time to adjust their operations to the increased import levels.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.