The only Western country without a minimum wage is Switzerland. The unemployment rate there is 3%. A huge problem here in the US is that we pay people not to work (unemployment checks) and have a minimum wage. If the growers in China were forced to pay our wage rates, then there would be little problems with competition from them. However, this will never happen.
For the US: 1. Get rid of minimum wage laws. 2. Reform the tort laws where law suits are at a minimum, and the loser must pay all court costs and attorney's fees. (Can you imagine suing your employer in China?) 3. Terminate all unemployment payments. In just a few weeks, a grower could hire workers dirt cheap. The market would then self correct. Otherwise, the restrictive regulations here in the US will put growers out of business. The problem is not China's cheap products, but the Federal and states government's expensive regulations. This is a no-brainer. On Fri, Aug 15, 2014 at 12:14 PM, Steven Bibula <sbib...@maine.rr.com> wrote: > Well said Peter. Yet enforcement of practices requires transparency, > regulatory monitoring and political will that are all lacking with respect > to the US’ premier competitor for prominence on the world stage as well as > our second largest creditor (second only to the Federal Reserve Bank I > think?). > > > > A plus: Chinese apples in the US market will result in a net increased > demand for my U-Pick apples. > > > > Steven Bibula > > Plowshares Community Farm > > Gorham ME > > *From:* apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net [mailto: > apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net] *On Behalf Of *Peter J. Jentsch > *Sent:* Friday, August 15, 2014 12:53 PM > *To:* Apple-crop discussion list > > *Subject:* Re: [apple-crop] Apples From China? > > > > China is the world’s largest consumer of fruits and vegetables, with a > growing appetite for high-quality produce. China is also an expanding > import market (mostly fresh fruits and, to a lesser extent, processed > products). The value of China’s produce imports increased sevenfold between > 1992 and 2001, making it one of the world’s fastest growing import markets. > (Global Trade Patterns in Fruits and Vegetables Economic Research > Service/USDA). > > Yet China is producing almost half of world total apple production, > increasing from 33,263,000; 35,985,000 and 37,000,000 metric tonnes from > 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively while increasing world exports by 10% > between 2000 to 2006. (Source: World Markets and Trade, US Department of > Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, May 2007). However, 10%; volume > in terms of of world export is only 3% of their China's total production!!! > > The US has been increasing their shipments of high volume fresh apple to > China. We will likely continue increase of apple exports until China has > ramped up their volume and quality of production. Its been my understanding > that even the Chinese people prefer US apple due to food safety concerns. > > Western US apple trade to China and world markets may be well for Eastern > growers as it will likely reduce the shipments of Washington State apples > to eastern markets and increase supply for locally grown fruit? > > I would favor increased tree fruit trade with China under competitive > trade conditions based on standardized production practices. As it now > stands, the regulations do not require the use of production practice > guidelines to the standards which U.S growers need to abide, creating a > competitive disadvantage for the US tree fruit producer. Pest management > practices, worker protection standards and child labor laws should be > instituted within the guidelines of production practices, certified by US > inspection of farms and facilities, just as we have here in the US. Its > likely that MRL standards will need to be assessed and met, yet there's no > mention of MRL's in the regulation. The emphasis in the bill on > phytosanitation for oriental fruit moth is outdated and concerns for newer > invasive species should receive a hard review (too late for BMSB and SWD > invasion over the pst 15 years, having caused millions of $$ in production > and research loss). > > > > That said, China has not been known for their recent history of protecting > human rights, product quality or safety standards and should be pressured > into compliance by world markets to 'come clean'. > > > > Peter > > > > "The best way out is always through" - Robert Frost” > > Peter J. Jentsch > Hudson Valley Laboratory Superintendent > Senior Extension Associate - Entomology > Department of Entomology, Cornell University > Hudson Valley Research Lab > P.O. Box 727, 3357 Rt. 9W > Highland, NY 12528 > > Office: 845-691-7151 > Cell: 845-417-7465 > FAX: 845-691-2719 > > E-mail: p...@cornell.edu > http://blogs.cornell.edu/jentsch/ > ------------------------------ > > *From:* apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net < > apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net> on behalf of Ginda Fisher < > l...@ginda.us> > *Sent:* Friday, August 15, 2014 10:58 AM > *To:* Apple-crop discussion list; Mike Arvay > *Subject:* Re: [apple-crop] Apples From China? > > > > Speaking as an apple consumer, I have concerns about China driving down > price, and therefore quality, of U.S. grown fruit. But I tend to avoid food > and children's toys that come out of China. > > (Like everyone else, most of my clothes and electronics have Chinese > components. And I've had no problems with that.) > -- > Typed with Swype. Who knows what I meant to say? > > On August 15, 2014 10:26:03 AM EDT, Mike Arvay < > greenap...@deercreekorchard.com> wrote: > > I'm curious on what the group thinks about this proposed amendment to > the U.S. Fruit and Vegetable Regulation which will allow the import of > apples into the U.S. from China. > > I don't want this to become a "All things from China are bad." thread. > But I can see both negative and positive possibilities on allowing > this. They do recommend additional measures and actions other than the > standard Port of Entry Inspection. > > http://www.regulations.gov/?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=13804591&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--B9po2Wh9EOEarH4oSyBng8hr9QeyW3LJQbTqn5DyDzYxmuMr2ciJZaLS1t7JjLaavRgsui8ZQ9El8DY6ATo7HsWEkbg&_hsmi=13804591#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0003-0001 > > Thanks. > > Mike Arvay > Small Grower in Central Indiana. > > ------------------------------ > > > apple-crop mailing list > apple-crop@virtualorchard.net > http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop > > > _______________________________________________ > apple-crop mailing list > apple-crop@virtualorchard.net > http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop > >
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