Alternative Community Farmer/WPB.FL

If you are a TOMATO lover ,grower,consumer then you need to read this:

Florida TOMATO GGROWERS ARE WAGING A WAR ON THE MEXICAN tOMATO .Three years ago it was a local war against the cherry and  heirloum vs the special Florida tomato .Now it is against the south of the border tomato.

The agreement that paved the way 17 years ago for the free import of Mexican tomato is now under attack by some Florida tomato growers supported by other states growers as well.

Tomato prices are going to skyrocket as the war takes more tomatoes off the market and puts more strain on local farmers to produce more tomatoes locally rather than importing them from Mexico.

Are we prepared for growing more on lesser farming land and even lesser supply of local trained and skilled legal farmers?

I predict a tomato gold rush and I expect more local farmers to benefit from the "Tomato War" on the expense of the local consumers who will be paying the extra price of more demand and less supply once this measure goes into effect .

I have been crying for two decades in favor of helping create more Farming Jobs by accelerating the awareness and education process that  leads to creating more LOCAL farms and  local farmers .Hello.anybody home?

What will happen is that people will wake up only when hit in the "pocket as the prices of tomato skyrocket", and farmers JOBS  will start to be recognized as essential for the ecconomic growth .

Grow and buy local fruits and vegetables is the best bet .

For more details :Here is an article published by the Sun sentinel  recently :

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/consumer/la-fi-mexico-tomato-war-20121003,0,6443335.story