What will happen when President Donald Trump’s 30-day pause on tariffs for Canada and Mexico ends?

The answer remains unclear but one thing is certain: The threat of higher grocery prices is sparking a critical question.

Will this push us here at home to buy local produce?

For beloved Sweet Corn Farmer Ernie Wusstig, the response is simple, “Oh yeah. They will definitely have to buy local.”

But the impact on local farmers like Ernie isn’t so straightforward. 

President and Co-Founder of Guahan Sustainable Culture Michelle Crisostomo said the situation poses both a benefit and a challenge.

“It could make local food, I think, more competitive–that might be a plus. But, if the US tariffs increase the price of essential farm inputs–like things like fertilizer, feed, and equipment- that’s going to cause local farmers to also face higher production costs,” said Crisostomo. 

And those rising costs could trickle down to the price of local goods, making it harder for island residents to afford homegrown produce.

Guam's reliance on imported supplies also added another layer of risks.

“We rely on a lot of imported  seeds, equipment, and materials,” added Crisostomo. 

Despite these uncertainties, Crisostomo highlighted a silver lining, the need to focus on the island's food security and  sovereignty.

“I really believe that we as a community and our government—we need to find better long-term solutions to help boost our local agriculture because of all the instability that we experience and are going to be experiencing,” said Crisostomo.