In recent years, the approach to immigration and agricultural policies has raised serious concerns about food waste in the United States. The disconnect between the need for agricultural labor and the actions of the government has resulted in inefficiencies that are not only harming farmers but also exacerbating food insecurity. Let’s delve into the ramifications of these policies and consider their broader impact on society.
Yves here. It seems the media may have inadvertently helped Trump regarding deportation policies. I previously thought the Administration was deliberately overlooking business owners, particularly those running large enterprises like hotel chains and significant food producers, such as meatpackers. Instead of aggressive ICE raids, a more effective method to reduce illegal immigration would involve targeting employers who hire undocumented workers.
However, this article suggests that the immigration crackdown is also affecting farms and other players in the agricultural sector, along with damaging farmers through trade wars that have led international buyers, especially in China, to avoid purchasing their goods, particularly soybeans.
By Tevis Garrett Graddy-Lovelace, Provost Associate Professor of Environment, Development and Health, American University School of International Service. Originally published at The Conversation
During President Donald Trump’s second term, policy decisions have led to significant food waste in the U.S. Initiatives such as immigration raids, changes in tariffs, and temporary and permanent cuts to food assistance programs have resulted in a shortage of labor and funds for farmers, leaving food to spoil in fields and warehouses while millions of Americans face hunger. The administration’s actions even include the intentional destruction of edible food.
The U.S. government reports that over 47 million Americans do not have sufficient access to food, despite federal and state governments investing hundreds of billions of dollars annually in assistance programs.
Yet, an astonishing quantity of food—on average, up to 40%—perishes before it is consumed. This waste amounts to 120 billion meals each year, which could adequately feed the 47 million hungry Americans three meals a day for an entire year.
This vast waste incurs significant economic costs and negates the value of water and resources spent on food production. Furthermore, as food decays, it generates over 4 million metric tons of methane annually in the U.S.—a potent greenhouse gas.
As a researcher focused on food waste, I’ve observed this issue escalate since the beginning of Trump’s second term in January 2025. Despite claims of increasing government efficiency, numerous federal policies have instead intensified food wastage.
Immigration Policy
Maintaining a fresh supply of fruits, vegetables, and dairy requires skilled labor to meet strict timelines for ensuring optimal ripeness and quality.
The Trump administration’s extensive initiatives to detain and deport immigrants have forced agencies like ICE and the Border Patrol into numerous agricultural sites. Bolstered by billions of dollars from taxpayers, they have apprehended thousands of workers, sometimes resulting in tragic outcomes.
Numerous raids have not only infringed upon human rights and shattered families but have also threatened the national food supply. Farmworkers, who already endure physically demanding work for low pay, now fear for their lives. Reports indicate that in some areas, up to 70% of those involved in food harvesting and processing stopped showing up to work by mid-2025.
Media accounts have documented multiple occurrences where crops were left to decay in abandoned fields. The U.S. Department of Labor announced in October 2025 that aggressive farm raids drive workers into hiding, cause significant amounts of food to remain unharvested, and thus create a “risk of supply shocks that could lead to food shortages.”
Foreign Aid Cuts
In early 2025, the Trump administration effectively halted the operations of the U.S. Agency for International Development. By that time, the agency had 500 tons of ready-to-eat, high-energy biscuits, valued at US$800,000, stored for distribution to starving individuals globally, particularly those displaced by conflict or disasters. Unfortunately, due to a lack of personnel to distribute these biscuits, they expired while in a warehouse in Dubai.
The cost of incinerating these expired biscuits was around $125,000.
It’s estimated that an additional 70,000 tons of USAID food aid may also have been lost.
Tariffs
As global trade patterns evolved in the late 20th century, U.S. farmers began to face prices that fell below their production costs. However, the tariffs introduced during Trump’s first term offered no protection for small farms.
The tariffs enacted in early 2025, after Trump reclaimed the presidency, disrupted the U.S. soybean trade with China for several months. Currently, storage facilities are overwhelmed with surplus soybeans. Although an agreement reached in October 2025 may resume some trade, the terms are likely to be at lower prices and a slower rate than before, as China turns to Brazil and Argentina to satisfy its considerable demand.
While the soybeans were initially meant to support the Chinese pig industry, their potential spoilage represents a looming waste crisis, both in terms of the soybeans themselves and the actual human food that could have been cultivated instead.
Other Efforts Lead to More Waste
Since taking office, the second Trump administration has implemented measures claiming to enhance efficiency but have instead increased food waste. Mass reductions in food safety personnel heighten the risk of foodborne disease outbreaks, tainted imports, and agricultural pathogens—leading to possible crises that necessitate large-scale destruction of affected crops, such as nearly 35,000 turkeys due to bird flu in Utah.
Additionally, the cancellation of a beneficial program that supported schools and food banks in purchasing local food has left many farmers in a precarious financial position, as crops still in the ground had to find new markets or risk being wasted.
Moreover, cuts to funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency have hampered support for food producers, restaurants, and households recovering from disasters, particularly restoring power to food-storage refrigeration systems after disasters.
The government shutdown in fall 2025 left the essential food aid program, SNAP, in limbo for several weeks, disrupting communities’ access to critical resources. While grocers announced discounts for SNAP recipients to facilitate purchases and reduce spoilage, the Department of Agriculture ordered them not to, asserting that SNAP customers must pay the same prices as others.
Food waste has long been an issue, but the current administration’s policies—despite their proclaimed push for efficiency—have magnified the problem during a time of increasing need. As we gather around our tables this Thanksgiving, it’s important to consider both the waste of food and the underlying problems contributing to this crisis.
American University School of International Service master’s student Laurel Levin contributed to the writing of this article.
