Today I joined my friend Ramiro Cavazos, President and CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, for a press conference to highlight the importance of the Tomato Suspension Agreement. This is a quiet but critical trade deal that keeps grocery prices stable, trade lanes open, and our supply chains moving.
Here in Texas, over 150 businesses and thousands of workers depend on this agreement. Ending it could cost our state up to 32,000 jobs, $4.5 billion in losses, and raise tomato prices by 17 percent. Families would feel that impact directly at the grocery store.
Some have questioned the agreement’s effectiveness, but the facts are clear. Over 99 percent of imported tomatoes meet U.S. standards, with no evidence of widespread dumping. Ending it would hurt not just Mexican exporters but also American distributors, grocers, and workers.
This is an issue with broad support from businesses, trade experts, and community leaders who agree we should strengthen and modernize the agreement rather than abandon it.
The agreement also plays an important role in regional stability by supporting jobs on both sides of the border and easing the economic pressures that drive migration. I would respectfully encourage the Department of Commerce to continue engaging in good faith and give diplomacy the space it needs to deliver a solution that protects workers, consumers, and producers alike.
The Tomato Suspension Agreement is one of those behind-the-scenes policies that quietly keep our economy and communities strong. We must protect what works and improve what can be better through cooperation, common sense, and a shared commitment to fairness.