Much of the food we eat goes through a pretty incredible journey
to get to us.
This is especially true of avocados.
They don't grow just anywhere.
They need tons of sunlight and a ton of rain,
which is why about 3/4 of the world's avocados
come from Mexico.
Mostly from the state of Michoacan.
Americans are eating about three times more avocados
than they did almost 20 years ago.
Higher demand is good for Michoacan,
but when a region booms,
forces often much shadier, aim to get in on the action.
And trust me, that's part of your food's journey too.
Avocados are big business in Mexico,
state of Michoacan exports.
The majority of them to the tune of almost 3 billion dollars a year.
When we also United Las personas que momentum, Chillicothe.
Thank you, baby.
The locals, call it green gold
over the past 20 years, America's obsession with the avocado.
His driven industry profits in Lifted. Many people here out of poverty.
Last year the United States imported,
a record-breaking 2.1 billion pounds of the fruit from Mexico.
Another redness the is that I'm not surprised
these days - green gold comes at a price
criminal organizations like the Cartel De Jalisco and last few agra's
have set their sights on the fruit as a way to diversify. Their illicit portfolios
by extorting Growers and steel.
Land,
we're heading up to meet up with a group of people who have organized to defend
this land. Defend this area from cartels, and criminal groups.
And we're coming up to their checkpoint.
Can see a guy standing out here with an M4 rifle. Sniper up there.
You're going to see people like this all over town trying to protect this community.
I mean, is it those?
Made it all ready. To--.
The prevention
is the commander of a local defense group that rose up against the Knights,
Templar cartel.
When it tried to take over large swaths of Mitchell cons. Avocado, orchards in 2013.
In his element and Stephanie muskaan machetes, compiles, computers,
romulo successful.
Not only in the entrance is a bonus track for defense.
The other weapons comes in poke two different things.
Cheering welcome, boys.
Avila said soon, as in this case here, in Houston, little mascara Central Awards.
Last year taught on his men found themselves in a firefight
with members of the Cartel De Jalisco the shootout, lasted close to an hour,
the cartel, gunmen eventually retreated,
but not before taught on his men captured. One of their wounded.
Went out on his team, head out on patrol.
It's people like for Healy Augustine Serano, local farmer.
Turn Tower guard, who mans the checkpoints but I'm awake connect.
Not often. Do we rabbit?
So romantic on the Wind of Gringo's are eternal.
What kind of attention did the avocado industry bring to this community?
It almost from well below
the government. Regalo para la parte de la production.
We do. He saw the sorrow.
So these avocados ready to cut? There's a star listo, Para cortar.
Ha of land produces roughly 20 tons of avocados,
and at 40 pesos of Papua Farm, like,
for Helios can rake in some 23,000 dollars per Harvest.
There's a lot of people in the US that love these things,
but I don't think they realize what all of Michoacan goes through
to not only Harvest them but to keep you in
the community safe from the cartels and criminal groups.
What's your message to them? To remember when they eat an avocado?
Like what got the Cuesta? Mucho trabajo?
No, mas
trabajo. She know Questa
organization Cuesta de Sangre in algunos De vidas en algunos casos.
North American West robotic.
Consume an avocado.
When's the last time you actually got to enjoy one,
all you want on my animal communicator?
So definitely be the freshest piece of avocado I've ever eaten. Cheers.
It's good.
It's very good. Yeah.
Yeah, what up? Don't know if I should do this whole thing though, I'm allergic.
For you personally. What are you protecting me? And I open another meant to
protect me familiar.
Are you afraid that things will go back to the way they were
when they occur Jaeger status koshwal esperamos, que, no, Pare.