A report published by Western Growers examines the economic and food safety fallout from the 2022 and 2023 Hepatitis A outbreaks linked to imported strawberries. Both outbreaks were traced to a single foreign grower, but California strawberry growers bore an estimated $125 million in losses due to the broader consumer confidence hit that followed.
The findings are a pointed reminder of how food safety incidents tied to imports can devastate domestic producers even when they had no involvement in the contamination. The report lands at a moment when import scrutiny — particularly around strawberries — is already elevated following the ongoing antidumping case against Mexican strawberries.
This is directly relevant context for buyers sourcing imported strawberries and for category managers thinking about domestic vs. import program balance. The $125 million figure may also be used as evidence in ongoing regulatory and trade discussions about import food safety standards.