Insiders Share Why the US Imports So Much Food

Growers in Mexico, China, Brazil, and India have looser regulations, longer growing seasons, and cheaper labor, making costs cheaper than in the United States.
Insiders Share Why the US Imports So Much Food
A tractor cultivates a cornfield at Mencer Farms in Lake Village, Ark., on April 29, 2025. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
Autumn Spredemann
Updated:
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The United States has nearly 2 million active farms, and researchers say the existing agricultural model could feed 146 percent of the population by 2030. Nevertheless, the United States imported close to $205 million in food products last year, according to the Department of Agriculture (USDA).
It’s another milestone in the more than decade-long trend of increasing reliance on food imports. Historically, this has been blamed on everything from high volumes of food waste to a booming population, but insiders say profitability is the main roadblock keeping America reliant on foreign foods.
Autumn Spredemann
Autumn Spredemann
Author
Autumn is a South America-based reporter covering primarily Latin American issues for The Epoch Times.
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