Press Releases

Traverse City - On September 12, 2018 Congressman Jack Bergman sent President Donald Trump a letter on behalf of First District cherry farmers, urging the Administration to "withdraw duty-free benefits under the Generalized System of Preference (GSP) for tart cherry juice from the Republic of Turkey."

Yesterday, President Trump began the initial process to end Turkey's duty-free access to the U.S. market. Congressman Jack Bergman issued the following release:

Rep. Bergman stated, “I applaud the Trump Administration for positively answering our request to withdraw the Republic of Turkey's duty-free benefits, siding with Michigan cherry farmers. The tart cherry market is rapidly expanding, largely in part to work that farmers in northern Michigan have been doing. However, unfair trading practices allowed Turkey to dump its  government-subsidized product into the United States, nearly crushing our domestic tart cherry industry. Removing Turkey's duty-free status is great news for the agriculture community in the First District, but there's still more work to do to ensure a level playing field in all of our nation's trade practices."

Ben LaCross of Leelanau Fruit Company stated, "Michigan tart cherry growers applaud President Trump‘s move to revoke duty-free trade status for Turkish tart cherry juice. This is the best news cherry farmers have received in years. As a young cherry farmer, it is important for my farm’s long-term success that US farmers are able to sell our crop in the United States.