You're watching...
California Strawberry Commission President Mark Murai discusses why new government regulations will threaten profits for growers.
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
Strawberry fields may not be for -- EPA phasing out a popular pesticide without providing an effective alternative.
To protect the fruit from disease sparking concern over farmers' profits.
And rising prices for consumers.
Is this another unintended consequence of government regulation joining me now Mark Bryant -- is -- third generation farmer and he's president of the California strawberry.
Commission this is a fascinating story mark in that the EPA has come down on you they -- -- pull out one pesticide but you don't have an alternative.
Aren't you having conversations right now with fellow growers about how to fix the problem before it gets to the -- line.
Yes -- definitely thanks for having me here on.
Word -- -- serious.
Discussions right now -- us as a farmer where faced with -- many.
Unpredictable.
Elements in in what we do in and down the regulatory layers.
Between US EPA and the California department.
-- cal EPA is -- these layers that.
Really give farmers a lot of angst in uncertainty in for the future.
It's very difficult the plan -- and put your farm plan together.
And it's very difficult to see.
A future.
For the next generations of farmers in this country.
Well how those -- hurting the farming now are you seeing increased competition.
For Mexican farmers because they see an opportunity here.
They can use -- pesticides that by 2015.
You cannot -- is up the worry here the concern.
Well I think that's that's a concern but I think we really keep keep our concerns very close to home where.
Our yields can be severely impacted by 50%.
And with.
On the increased need to show a viable business to the banking industry.
And you know to our customers that serve the consumers we have to show that we can produce a crop of food of strawberries.
On consistently and safely.
And I think -- Not to -- as a as a -- middle of the California for years I was actually surprised to find out that strawberry production is now more valuable.
As a commodity California -- lettuce production it's a 2.4 billion dollar 2.2 billion dollar industry at least in 2011.
Give me a sense of what what happen if you don't resolve this issue with the EPA what -- the value.
Of the industry be.
In the year in two years.
All the reports say could be up to a billion dollar -- in one year and you know.
Thousands of jobs when he 5000 jobs impacted that per share but.
I think the unintended consequences or the family farms and those communities.
Around those farms and the farmworkers.
-- important to understand.
All of the people that will be impacted on a farm worker house to optimize their day to pay their bills their rent their food.
The farmers need to plan and create produce the yields so all of these.
Communities are part of of farm agriculture.
Are the unintended.
Audiences of of regulations that.
Shouldn't really be based in sound science unbiased analysis of the science.
And reality it's very challenging -- -- to you know create regulation in Washington or Sacramento.
So we welcome those regulators to come to California and get their boots dirty a little and and see what were up in.
In its OK let me ask you this before -- golden -- broad line I've not yet were you why are they want to -- -- -- but 2015.
And your opinion.
Is the pesticides.
Oh yes definitely have a tremendous track record.
And regulatory.
Process.
Every time it's applied -- applied by a licensed applicator.
There's a lot of controversy around if this actual compound.
On you know creates damage and in environment because of the -- means it's it's based in -- means and -- means are coming off the oceans of the world.
So one volcano can upset.
On the whole apple cart here.
You give your kids strawberries grown at this pesticide was used in the planning process your children you would get robberies.
Oh definitely that's the highest standard -- eyes growers -- solar cells the highest standard and that's taken home more food to -- Pamela and mark thank you very much of fascinating topic and also the issue of jobs that's a great follow up story that we're gonna have to have with another time mark thank you very much for joining us.
Thank you Sheryl.
