The Trump administration ended the Tomato Suspension Agreement with Mexico, eliminating tariff-free imports and imposing a ~17% tariff instead. Fresh tomato prices jumped 23% year-over-year to an 8-year high of $2.26/pound in March 2026, far outpacing overall inflation at 3.3%. The tariff was intended to protect U.S. tomato farmers, but also cost consumers significantly and reduced total tomato imports from Mexico by over $500 million — a trade-off the article frames as the administration prioritizing a small group of growers over broader economic benefit to workers in distribution, retail, and food service who depend on the cheap import supply.