I’m sure everyone in the world who has access to any kind of electronic news source knows that Re-publican Party candidate Donald Trump has been declared winner of yesterday’s US presidential election by a proverbial ‘landslide’. What does this mean for our Food?
The short, easy answer is, “It’s too early to tell.” But indications are, Trump’s ‘America First’ master plan will have negative effects on the entire continent’s food supply chain, food prices and available food choices…
Multiple dimensions
There are multiple dimensions to the impact this second Trump presidency could have on North America’s food picture…
Border policies
Trump’s ‘close the borders’ policy could complicate international trade between Canada, the US and Mexico. We in Canada, for example, get a fair amount of our fresh produce from the US year-round. Also, from Mexico. How will Trump’s border changes effect vital truck transport systems?
Perhaps of greater concern… How will his draconian plans to deport millions of migrants effect the cheap labour pool many southwestern region US produce growers rely on to plant, pick and process their crops? We could be in for a major price hike on produce. One way Canada has traditionally com-pensated for shortages or price hikes on US produce is to buy more of what we need from Europe, Mexico, and Central and South America.
‘Tropical’ foods we customarily get from Asia, the Pacific the Caribbean and South America already come to us largely by boat, bypassing the US and landing on our west coast.No change there, for-tunately.
Tarrifs
Trump’s much-hyped tariffs won’t have a direct negative effect on consumers in other countries. They’ll only raise prices for products of non-American origin for American consumers.
But Trump’s tariffs – which will probably be imposed at a rate of at least 10 percent across the board, even on imports from traditional trading partners such as Canada and Mexico – will make imported food more expensive in the US. And that will be bad for Canadian exporters.
And, of course… There’s always the chance that Canada will impost counter-tarrifs against US foods imports, as a way of punishing Trump’s regime for slapping their tarrifs on our products in the fist place…
Food choices
Food choice in Canada and Mexico may be narrowed by the complex machinations of Trump’s eco-nomic and related policies. Shortages of produce, particularly, due to labour shortages and po-tentially strikes, could become serious.
But there are always alternatives. We can always get by on frozen and dried foods if we have to. Just prepare for your lettuce selection to become limited to two or three basic types, and items such as avocados to disappear from Canadian shelves temporarily during the deep winter months. And so on…
My take
As I said off the top of this very early post… It remains to seen just how, and how seriously Trump’s policies may effect food supplies and prices in Canada, Mexico and other countries. What may be most important, in the medium and long term, is HOW Trump’s administration actually applies his policies…
~ Maggie J.