Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission examines labor conditions in global cut‑flower industry

WASHINGTON — The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, co‑chaired by Rep. Jim McGovern and Rep. Chris Smith, held a hearing on Oct. 12, 2025, to examine labor and human‑rights concerns in the global cut‑flower industry and to collect recommendations for U.S. policy.

Commission opening remarks framed the hearing around workers’ rights and supply‑chain transparency. “Many consumers want to ensure that the flowers they purchase for their loved ones are produced ethically,” Rep. McGovern said in his opening statement, noting the importance of protecting freedom of association and safe working conditions in producer countries.

The hearing brought together labor advocates, academics and industry representatives who described a mix of persistent labor violations, improvements driven by private certification and retailer pressure, and policy gaps that limit U.S. oversight. Witnesses highlighted recurrent issues across major producing countries: heavy use of pesticides and inconsistent personal protective equipment; widespread reliance on short‑term and outsourced labor during peak seasons; employer practices that undermine unionization (including collective agreements negotiated outside unions, described in testimony as “collective packs”); and limited public visibility into air freight manifests that impedes traceability.

Lisonbee Gill, legal director of Global Labor Justice, said voluntary industry standards have not produced widespread change. “Corporate self regulation in supply chains does not work,” Gill testified, and recommended that U.S. trade and import rules require stronger due diligence, greater worker and union engagement in remediation systems, and extension of rapid‑response style enforcement mechanisms to cut‑flower trade.

Dr. Daniel Hawkins of the Solidarity Center described Colombia’s experience with a labor action plan negotiated under the U.S.‑Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement. He told commissioners that targeted U.S. technical assistance and capacity building—particularly programs funded through the Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) and USAID—had helped unions and labor authorities press for enforcement, and he called for restoration of that funding. “Workers need to do this themselves, but they can only do that through their collective voice,” Hawkins said.

Academic witnesses outlined regional differences. Dr. Megan Stiles, who has researched Kenyan floriculture, said stronger retailer pressure, labeling and repeated third‑party audits in European supply chains have driven certain improvements in Kenya that are not yet widespread for flowers bound for the U.S. She recommended improving traceability (place‑of‑origin labeling down to the farm where feasible) and incentivizing governments to regulate environmental resources such as water.

Dr. Christopher Krupa, drawing on long‑term ethnographic work in Ecuador, urged attention to how industry restructuring—subcontracting, small parcel growers and informal suppliers—has pushed parts of production outside traditional inspection regimes. He warned that in contexts of heightened violence or militarization, ordinary labor protections become harder to enforce and recommended sustained support for local human‑rights and labor organizations to monitor complex, geographically dispersed supply chains.

Industry testimony from Christine Bolt, executive vice president of the Association of Floral Importers of America (AFIA), emphasized improvements in certification coverage and importer practices. Bolt said customs and border rules require country‑of‑origin markings on boxes and that supermarkets generally receive labeled boxes; she encouraged use of established certifications such as Florverde and FlorEcuador and noted that many large buyers audit suppliers regularly.

Lawmakers and witnesses discussed a set of practical policy proposals, among them: restoring and funding ILAB and related U.S. programs that provide labor capacity building; reauthorizing the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) with strengthened labor conditionality for beneficiary countries; extending mechanisms for facility‑level enforcement similar to the USMCA rapid response labor mechanism; and closing a manifest‑disclosure gap for air and land freight to improve traceability of imported flower shipments. Witnesses also recommended that companies build worker‑led grievance and remediation systems in cooperation with unions.

The commission did not vote on legislation at the hearing. Members used the record and witness testimony to press for follow‑up oversight and legislative options that would mix trade enforcement, targeted assistance and private‑sector accountability.

Why it matters: witnesses said the industry is large, labor intensive and highly gendered—women comprise a majority of the workforce in several producing countries—and that worker‑facing improvements in freedom of association, health and safety, and wages would affect hundreds of thousands of workers and their communities. At the same time, witnesses warned that relying solely on voluntary certification or buyer pressure leaves gaps where subcontracted or informal production escapes oversight.

The commission’s record includes detailed country case studies and a list of recommended U.S. policy actions, including restoring funding for labor programs, improving supply‑chain traceability, and pursuing trade‑level enforcement tied to labor standards. The hearing record will be available to members for follow‑up oversight and potential legislative proposals.