Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Pilot Program Tests Importing South American Fruit through South Florida Seaports

State and federal agencies are working to finalize a pilot program to bring grapes and blueberries from Peru and Uruguay into Port Everglades and PortMiami beginning in October, according Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale.

by Staff
August 19, 2013
Pilot Program Tests Importing South American Fruit through South Florida Seaports

State and federal agencies are working to finalize a pilot program to bring grapes and blueberries from Peru and Uruguay into Port Everglades and PortMiami. Photo: Courtesy of Port Everglades

2 min to read


State and federal agencies are working to finalize a pilot program to bring grapes and blueberries from Peru and Uruguay into Port Everglades and PortMiami beginning in October, according Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale.

The permit to proceed is expected to be approved this month.

Ad Loading...
State and federal agencies are working to finalize a pilot program to bring grapes and blueberries from Peru and Uruguay into Port Everglades and PortMiami. Photo: Courtesy of Port Everglades

Currently, due to decades-old regulations, grapes, blueberries and other perishables are first brought into the United States through North Atlantic seaports that have cooler climates.

Port Everglades says if the pilot program is proven successful, fruit could be shipped directly to South Florida and delivered to local grocery stores faster and at a lower cost. Additionally, it could be expanded to include other cold-treated perishables from these and other countries.

"Our ambition is to have this pilot become a success so it can be expanded to other countries and other commodities," international trade attorney Lee Sandler of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, PA, told attendees at a recent meeting between regulatory agencies, importers, growers, shippers and terminal operators at Port Everglades. Sandler spoke on behalf of the Florida Perishables Trade Coalition, a non-profit association that focuses the collective experience and efforts of trade, transportation and port leaders from throughout the state to increase trade in perishable products through Florida's airports and seaports.

Ad Loading...

Sandler, with input from inspectors with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Customs & Border Protection says several steps are needed to ensure the program's success. The key component is protecting Florida's citrus industry from destructive fruit flies.

Topics:Drivers

More Drivers

HDT Talks Trucking thumbnail with photo of Jane Jazrawy and the text,, "When Drivers Tune Out"
Driversby Deborah LockridgeJune 24, 2026

How Top Trucking Fleets Improve Driver Retention [Video]

What do healthy snacks, optimized routing, and just picking up the phone have in common? They're all strategies the Best Fleets to Drive For are using to retain truck drivers.

Read More →
Trucker Path Cargo Net theft overlay.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseJune 23, 2026

Trucker Path Adds Verisk CargoNet Theft Data to Navigation Platform

Trucker Path’s new cargo theft risk overlays give drivers and fleets visibility into high-risk areas, stolen commodity trends, and theft hotspots.

Read More →
Man seated in front of computer with inset of insights generated for a truck driver

Netradyne Intelligence Uses New AI Agents to Automate Response to In-Cab Camera Data

The company called the next-generation in-cab camera safety platform "a fundamental shift from systems that report on what happened to systems that actively drive what should happen next."

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration of hourglass and trucks backed up to a dock
DriversJune 15, 2026

Why Truck Detention Keeps Costing Fleets Time and Money

A 2024 ATRI study found detention affects nearly 40% of truckload stops and costs the industry more than $15 billion annually. Despite the toll on drivers, fleets, and supply chains, the problem remains stubbornly persistent.

Read More →
Artist rendering of dealership with trucks and trailers parked outside
Equipmentby News/Media ReleaseJune 2, 2026

Prime Inc. to Open $7.9M Flagship Used-Truck Dealership

A new driver-focused facility to sell Prime Inc's used trucks and trailers will be the first purpose-built location in the company's history.

Read More →
Thumbnail for podcast episode
Safety & ComplianceMay 28, 2026

Short Takes: Inside K&B’s Truck Safety Tech

Listen to learn how K&B Transportation uses cellphone-blocking technology, speed management systems, weather geofencing, bridge avoidance tools, and more to improve driver safety.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Nussbaum driver pay.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseMay 27, 2026

Nussbaum Expands Driver Compensation with Pay Raises, Profit Sharing

Nussbaum Transportation said its latest compensation package could push first-year driver earnings above $90,000 in key hiring markets.

Read More →
Lance Evans, Director of Safety at K&B Transportation.
Safety & ComplianceMay 13, 2026

Listen: Inside Modern Fleet Safety: AI, Cameras & Speed Control at K&B Transportation

Fleet safety is evolving fast—and technology is at the center of it. Learn how a former commercial vehicle enforcement officer turned director of safety at K&B Transportation is embracing real-world safety technology.

Read More →
Maverick Transportation Freightliner Cascadia.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseMay 12, 2026

Maverick Announces 2026 Driver Pay Raises

New raises for Maverick Transportation drivers will take effect on May 31, 2026.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Alleged Ohio toll evasion truck.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseMay 5, 2026

Illinois Trucker Indicted for Nearly $22,000 in Ohio Turnpike Toll Evasion

Authorities say an Illinois trucker avoided paying tolls for two years, and now faces felony charges, possible prison time, and forfeiture of his Freightliner tractor.

Read More →