No. 30 of 108

July 13, 2025

Tomatoes in the U.S. will likely jump in cost as early as tomorrow.  A decades-long tomato agreement between Mexico and the U.S. will give way to tariffs. Nearly three-quarters of tomatoes consumed by Americans is imported, most from Mexico. Catsup/ketchup won’t be impacted as the largest producer, Heinz, already buys American. Reversion to tariffs increases the cost of Mexican tomatoes, arguably increasing the price competitiveness of American tomatoes. However, any advantage may disappear if the U.S. loses its migrant workforce and American farmers need to recruit unskilled, more expensive labor, yielding less productivity for a higher cost. About 60 percent of fruits and vegetables consumed in the U.S. each year are imported. Unlike some countries, the economic drivers favor agribusiness in commodities such as corn, soybeans, wheat, sugar crops, and cotton. Corn and soybeans are primarily grown for fuel and livestock feed. 78% of farm subsidies in the last twenty-two years have gone to the wealthiest big farms growing corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton and rice. The U.S. is the fifth largest rice exporter in the world. Fruit and vegetable production has decreased in the last twenty years. Meanwhile, more rain falls and evacuations are now ordered in central Texas.

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What will we eat? Where will our food grow, and by whom, and how? The production, availability, accessibility, usability, and deliciousness of food is existential. Through the lens of land use, economy, migration, labor, wealth, and trade wars, we diminish the source.