MidDays with Gerard Gibert 2026-10-05

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Get ready to go beyond the headlines and join a meaningful conversation with people from around the state. You're listening to MidDays with Gerard Gibert here on SuperTalk Mississippi.

Gerard Gibert (1:02)

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to MidDays, SuperTalk Mississippi. I'm your host, Gerard Gibert, along with Rhino in the Element Wealth Studio, guiding you through the middle of your day with facts, fodder, and fine music. Morning there, Rhino.

Rhino (1:18)

Howdy, howdy.

Gerard Gibert (1:20)

All right. So if you like Mexican food, I got some potentially bad news for you.

Rhino (1:27)

Uh-oh.

Gerard Gibert (1:28)

Yeah.

The price of tomatoes is rising significantly.

There's been some problems producing the tomato crop. And then we got this tariff situation.

And as a result, there's the possibility that Mexican restaurants who really kind of make a living on that free salsa and chips might have to start charging for it. That's the word that's going around. Say it ain't so.

The tariff on tomatoes could mean the end of free chips and salsa. Geez. I don't know. That's a pretty big draw.

Rhino (2:16)

I'll believe it when I see it.

Gerard Gibert (2:18)

I think you're right. Oh, man. So this is something being talked about on a nation-wide…

Rhino (2:25)

I say that, but I have seen reports of…

Gerard Gibert (2:28)

well, not reports.

Rhino (2:28)

It wasn't from a journalist or anything. It was just on social media of somebody complaining that they got the bill, and chips and salsa was on their bill.

Gerard Gibert (2:37)

Ah, okay.

So maybe it's already been implemented in some circles. That's a staple, though.

Rhino (2:45)

This was the Mexican was running California, though, so you never can tell out there.

Gerard Gibert (2:48)

Well, that's to pay the fare for the cost of doing business in California, likely. So word is that the 17% tariff on Mexican tomato imports, which the president implemented in July, was designed to protect American farmers to encourage domestic production.

And the impact has been significant. I didn't realize this, that Mexico has supplied about 90% of the tomatoes imported, not total tomatoes, those imported since 2015

And that has amounted to $3 billion. That's a bunch of dang tomatoes. So at first, of course, in an effort to retain market share, grocery stores, and the restaurants absorbed these costs. But now they're starting to say, we can't keep doing that. And it looks like that there possibly is going to be some changes made. I hope not, because that's, I think, a big draw, honestly, to Mexican restaurants. You sit down and before you even talk to anybody about what you want to eat, you get the basket of chips and some salsa.

Rhino (4:10)

In fact, that can be the make or break point of which Mexican place you choose.

Gerard Gibert (4:14)

That's 100% right.

Rhino (4:15)

Which one's got the good salsa?

Gerard Gibert (4:16)

That's totally right. I completely agree with that. So we got Brad White on the program. He's in the green room. He is the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation and Development. He's coming on at 1020 We're going to talk about this diesel dilemma and just gas price dilemma overall in general. Many are calling for some sort of suspension of the excise tax and more people, right? I know in the political figures in our state and others that have an interest in the price of fuel in particular, you think about loggers, farmers, et cetera. They're all speaking up and they are imploring lawmakers, even the governor, to do something about this. In the state of Mississippi, you've got a 24 cents per gallon excise tax on diesel and gas for when it's used in a vehicle. And then you've got the 24 cents, I believe it's 24 cents, that's the federal excise tax. Interesting that both the federal and the state are the same level. Now, over the weekend, numerous farming organizations have called on the president to provide some relief.

And in fact, one in particular, the American Farm Bureau Federation actually wrote a letter sent to, this was on October 1st, sent to the president, and they are asking for the president to suspend the federal excise tax without penalty. And there are reports buzzing around that indicate the president is slated to make some sort of announcement later today. And, you know, last week, I shared a text conversation I had with Mike McCormick, who's the president of Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, that organization headquartered in this building where SuperTalk Mississippi is also located. And he indicated he thought we'd get some, I'm using his words here, guidance from Washington this week. In fact, he's in Washington. I'm not sure if that's the purpose. And we're trying to get him on the program as well. Sometime this week, he'll end up having to call in since he is in Washington.