Bush Administration, Members of Virginia Congressional
Delegation Help Virginia Small Businesses Export
Virginia Apple Growers Association Receives Export Trade Certificate
of Review
Commerce Deputy Secretary Samuel W.
Bodman today joined by Virginia Senator John Warner at the U.S.
Capitol issued an Export Trade Certificate of Review for the Virginia
Apple Growers Association.
“By exporting together, small-
and medium-sized businesses can bolster their competitiveness, benefit
from lower individual export costs, and increase efficiency in every
phase of exporting,” said Deputy Secretary Bodman. “With
this tool, these Virginia growers can now work together to create
jobs and boost their local economies through increased exports.”
An Export Trade Certificate of Review
issued by the Department of Commerce Office of Export Trading Company
Affairs provides small- and medium-sized U.S. businesses with antitrust
law exemptions to undertake certain joint exporting activities.
The Commerce Department works with the Justice Department in reviewing
applications and issuing Export Trade Certificates.
The Virginia Apple Growers Association
applied for U.S. antitrust protection so that the participating
firms can share the costs and risks of exporting, and avoid rivalry
in export markets. VAGA’s application for an Export Trade
Certificate of Review was on behalf of itself and the following
member firms: Bowman Fruit Sales, L.L.C. of Timberville, VA; Crown
Orchard Company, LLP of Batesville, VA; Flippin-Seaman, Inc. of
Tyro, VA; and Fred L. Glaize, L.C. of Winchester, VA.
Operating under the protection of
its Export Trade Certificate, the Virginia Apple Growers Association
and the participating members can, among other things, jointly negotiate
and enter into agreements with foreign buyers regarding export prices,
quantities, and terms and conditions of sales, and they can jointly
negotiate with export service providers for favorable rates and
discounts. This type of coordination among the participants can
reduce their export unit costs and enhance their competitiveness
in export markets.
The apple growers are represented
by: Senator John Warner, Senator George Allen, Congressman Frank
Wolf, Congressman Bob Goodlatte, and Congressman Virgil Goode.