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Trade fight in United States over pacts with Colombia, Panama and Korea has California flower growers digging in

Monday, August 1, 2011


\ A battle in the US Congress could kill the South Korea, Colombia and Panama trade agreements, but it could breathe new life into the California flower industry.\ \ California growers, besieged by imports of Colombian blooms, have gained two advantages from the trade-deal fight. It has caused Colombian flower prices to rise and delayed at least until fall the pact with Bogota, which would grant their rivals permanent, tariff-free access to the U.S. market.\ \ California's big cut-flower industry is using the impasse to lobby Congress for money to help it compete if and when the deal goes through.\ \ Original source: Wall Street Journal\ \ \ \ \