Crops are rotting on the vine and good tomatoes are being plowed over instead of picked, Miami-Dade County Farm Bureau President Heather Moehling told local news station WSVN—and farmers say it’s because of trade wars and immigration changes.
Moehling, a member of the family that runs the legendary Homestead produce stand “Robert Is Here,” says while farmers used to get $16 for a box of tomatoes they are now getting $3 or $4. Tony Dimmer, president of Dimmer Homestead, told the news outlet, “If costs you close to over $10, close to $11, a box to break even, so if you are selling tomatoes for $3, $4, $5, you can figure out the losses.” He said his company has experienced “huge losses” but didn’t specify a dollar amount.
Because the Mexican industry exported double and triple the daily volumes to get ahead of being subjected to the 25% tariff in February and March and the 10% tariff in April—neither of which ever went into effect—it “devastated our markets in the U.S.,” Dimare said. Along with tomatoes from Mexico hurting South Florida farmers, they send a lot of produce to Canada, which has placed a 25% tariff on our crops.
Immigration changes are also causing problems because many pickers are afraid to go to work, WSVN reported. One Homestead farm worker who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “Many workers have left; others are leaving now.”
