Imported groceries: Went shopping at our local HY-VEE store today. Noticed that the lemons come from Argentina, the esparagus comes from Mexico, the tomatoes are imported from Canada...

usnret Loc: Woodhull Il

Went shopping at our local HY-VEE store today. Noticed that the lemons come from Argentina, the esparagus comes from Mexico, the tomatoes are imported from Canada of all places. Makes me wonder, don't they grow these products in California and Florida anymore??

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

As for citrus, the Florida season 8-10 months ago. In South America it was only a few months ago. US asparagus was 6-7 months ago. Canadian tomatoes? Lots are grown in greenhouses around Leamington Ontario. Many years ago they had 13 acres under glass, probably more now. Just like bananas being grown in Iceland is greenhouses heated by thermal hot water.

I don’t like it either, but I can usually buy mediocre tasting cantaloupes grown in Central America during the winter. Years ago I had to wait until the California or Arizona crop came on.

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

usnret wrote:

Went shopping at our local HY-VEE store today. Noticed that the lemons come from Argentina, the esparagus comes from Mexico, the tomatoes are imported from Canada of all places. Makes me wonder, don't they grow these products in California and Florida anymore??

Simple answer NO, particularly from California. California's water shortage as a result of the ongoing drought and the farmers having sold their water rights to the big cities severely limits the produce from the San Joaquin and Imperial Valley's. Hopefully Florida oranges, water melons and tomatoes will come back after the hurricane.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

There are no seasons in the food store produce section anymore. With few exceptions, all manner of fruit, berries and vegetable are on display 365 days a year.

edwdickinson Loc: Ardmore PA

usnret wrote:

Went shopping at our local HY-VEE store today. Noticed that the lemons come from Argentina, the esparagus comes from Mexico, the tomatoes are imported from Canada of all places. Makes me wonder, don't they grow these products in California and Florida anymore??

Something to be said for there being seasons for fruit and veg, when I was growing up you were happy when the season for your favorite fruits and veg came around now you can get the same fruit year-round problem is it is tasteless. I avoid that by buying at the farmers market where they sell local grown seasonal food.

Canisdirus

We especially use South American produce as winter begins to set in.
You cannot harvest 12 months out of the year in the northern hemisphere.

They get our produce as their winter approaches as well.

starlifter Loc: Towson, MD

usnret wrote:

Went shopping at our local HY-VEE store today. Noticed that the lemons come from Argentina, the esparagus comes from Mexico, the tomatoes are imported from Canada of all places. Makes me wonder, don't they grow these products in California and Florida anymore??

Have you ever shopped at ALDI's? The produce is like you said. They are a German company. A lot of their frozen pastry comes from Germany. The chocolate from Austria. I have mandarins from Peru and South Africa. Their pork chops are USA. We won;t touch most of their seafood as a lot of it is Chinese. No complaints as to the Quality.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I look at it as two seasons.
Stuff grown in the Northern Hemisphere in OUR summer,
and stuff grown in the Southern Hemisphere in THEIR summer.

Then, it depends on where the stores get the best wholesale price for what they will be selling when available.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

More examples of how dependent we are on foreign sources for America's needs. Our growing seasons are much shorter than those in warmer climates. Adding to the locally sourced food is the crop incentive programs making crops like corn and soybeans more profitable than fruits and vegetables which are perishable.

By the way....ever wonder why Bill Gates and China have been buying up so much farmland..?

JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington

And there are large farmers or corporate farm operations that operate both in the US and in Mexico and other Central American countries.

To some extent it is similar to Japanese and other foreign brand autos that are actually made in the US. With air freight and refrigeration, agriculture products are year round businesses in a global economy. Overall it is good for us US consumers and for the folks in these other countries as well.

Tom467 Loc: North Central Florida

I live in North Central Florida and have a Spring Garden and Fall Garden every year. In addition to my vegetable gardens I have citrus trees, pear trees, peach, grapes vines and persimmon trees. I keep the freezer full.

Tom

waldron7 Loc: State of Confusion

If you get a chance, read the label of a can or bottle of apple juice. There must be 6-8 countries that supply the apples.

muggins88 Loc: Inverness, Florida

Becoming more sparse because large acreage of farm land is being bought up by the Chinese and Saudi Arabia.
It's being removed from agricultural production. This land is critical to our nations well-being and prosperity. We have to take control of this and stop selling to them.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

muggins88 wrote:

Becoming more sparse because large acreage of farm land is being bought up by the Chinese and Saudi Arabia.
It's being removed from agricultural production. This land is critical to our nations well-being and prosperity. We have to take control of this and stop selling to them.

It would be interesting to see the figures on that. Sad.

How many of the "next generations" don't care to be farmers.

Playing the devil's advocate, control a country from within....

So much for self-sufficiency.

muggins88 Loc: Inverness, Florida

There was a long article in our small newspaper, The Chronicle, today about it.