How Trump's imposed immigration policies could affect our ability to get fresh produce?

According to the Department of Agriculture, Mexico and Canada are the leading sources overall of agricultural imports in the U.S.
In fact, just to put a figure on it, approximately $22.2 billion dollars of agriculture has been imported to the U.S. from 2013 to 2015.
We import items like:
  • ·         strawberries
  • ·         avocados
  • ·         tomatoes
  • ·         onions
  • ·         chili peppers
  • ·         raspberries

We import these products from Mexico more than any other country.
And of that about 60% of all avocados in the U.S. in 2014 were grown in Mexico.
So if you love guacamole, which I do not, you need to be worried about fear a trade war with Mexico!

So I’m saying all of this to say, that many of the fresh fruits and vegetables that we are used to having at our disposal would potentially become more expensive or even scarce if a 20% import tax goes into effect.

Oh but there’s more!

To add to that, if Trump's broader immigration policies become reality, even food grown within the U.S. could be more expensive.

Did you know that about half of the people hired by U.S. farms for crop production are undocumented immigrants, and the vast majority of them are from Mexico?
There are like so many layer to this! 

If Trump's wall and his other policies succeed in ridding the country of undocumented workers, the current wages paid by farmers would have to triple in order for the job to be attractive enough for American citizens. 

And, well, you know what will happen as a domino effect?

When the costs of farming increase, then the prices of the crops they're growing will naturally increase as well passing the burden of cost onto us a the consumer. Especially, the costs of our organic produce which is already more expensive.

Anyway, you know me.  I try to be solution oriented, my suggestion to you listeners it to try and grow as much of your own produce as possible.

Now living in California, I know that may be bit easier because of the illustrious weather.  I mean we have lemon, orange, avocado and pomegranate trees that grow in ours and our neighbor’s back yards.
But no matter where you live, you can still plant something!  I remember even living in the State of Ohio, My Grandfather always had a garden. And nowadays, there are alternatives to having a lack of space for a garden.  A perfect example is a tower garden, which is basically a vertical version of a garden that can take up at little as 3 square feet and they’re great not only because they take up less space, there is no need for pesticides and they use much less water so they are better for the environment.


Again that’s just one alternative, but there are more.  But the point is now, more than ever is a great time for us to become more self-sufficient thus making us more empowered of our own health and destiny.

Thanks for Reading,

Peace and Blessings...

Angel_ahhh

Also check out the podcast,
Holistic Healthcare and Divinity
Available now on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher
http://holistichealth.libsyn.com

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