Tomatoes are one of the biggest-selling fruits in the United States, even if sometimes they’re categorized as vegetables (which we all know they’re not).
But many Americans may not know that more than 70 percent of all tomatoes sold in the US actually come from Mexico. Part of that reason is an obscure trade law which, on May 7th, was terminated by the Department of Commerce. Get ready for tomato wars. Not the cartoon kind.
Since 1996, the US and Mexico have observed an agreement called the Tomato Suspension Agreement. That law was, says New Food Economy, designed to prevent heavily subsidized Mexican farmers from “dumping,” or selling very cheaply, tomatoes in the United States. But representatives of the Florida tomato industry has consistently lobbied to remove that agreement and place taxes on Mexican tomatoes, claiming that the agreement has not worked and that Mexican growers are able to supply tomatoes at prices American farmers can’t compete with.
On May 7th, the Department of Commerce announced that the agreement would be terminated, possibly but not necessarily to be replaced by some other deal. In the meantime, Mexican tomatoes will come with a 17.5 percent tariff—enough to price out all but the largest and most thrifty Mexican farmers.
There are all sorts of potential outcomes of this move. Mexican growers may have to stop growing tomatoes and shift to other crops. Huge industries—packing, shipping, gassing, processing—rely on the flow of Mexican tomatoes, and not just in Mexico. Thousands of jobs are potentially at stake here.
For certain growers, like Florida, this could be a boon; Florida’s tomatoes are most sold in the winter, when they’re only competing with other warm-weather growers, like those in Mexico. The fact that we’re coming up on summer now means that tomato prices probably won’t noticeably change for awhile; in the next few months, the entire country goes tomato-crazy, with tomatoes grown and sold from Minnesota to New York to Ohio.
But come winter, if there’s no new law on the books and Mexican farmers still have to cope with a 17.5 percent tariff, tomato prices will dramatically rise. In the meantime, grow your own.
The solution is not to switch one long-distance tomato for another. The solution is to buy tomatoes from your local farmer!
We can’t touch “bottom feeder” prices for tomatoes that have been bred primarily to survive long-distance shipping, but our prices compare favourably with other high-quality organic tomatoes.
We select our varieties first for flavour, then for beauty — with absolutely no regard to ability to survive multiple days in a semi trailer — because our tomatoes go from vine to our local market in just hours, not days.
I didn’t realize that 70% of tomatoes sold in the U.S.A. are from Mexico. I am all for growing all fruits and vegetables in the U,S, BUT, we need to have better control of the use of pesticides within the U.S.
“Corporate farming” needs to have firm controls.
Sounds good. Let’s build up our farmers whenever possible. 20% more on tomatoes in the winter – no big deal. At $2/pound, that’s only an extra 40 cents.
Why isn’t enough pressure put on politians to get rid of that obsure law and allow our farmers to build this industry…….along with other vegetables like avocatoes & olives etc.
So, grow our own….this is the time of year when nearly everyone grows tomatoes.
I sell field and heirloom tomatoes. So I’m glad Americans will be buying more from their fellow Americans.
Tax those greedy florida farmers! If we have to pay higher prices then they need to feel it too. Its called competition and they need to stop whining.
This man is an idiot I work in the produce distribution field and we have had to triple our prices because of this law. I get we want to help the American people out but it’s at the cost of the American people. To me it looks like a way to collect more taxes from the sales of tomatoes in the United States because it’s not helping anyone. I understand your going to say what about the local farmers? The issue comes down to if they actually can grow the tomatoes. Florida, Texas, and California are the only states who… Read more »
I’ll take articles that didn’t age well for $1,000, Alex.
Who needs tomatoes in winter anyway? Eating produce in season for your region is a more natural (and economical) way to eat.