Short, self supporting indeterminate tomatoes are what I've seen growing in the commercial fields when I lived in California. I think the plants also help to support each other as they're planted close enough together to intertwine their leaves and sort of form a tomato hedge.

As far as genetically modified, that's a possiblity, though I think most are simply hybrid varieties bred specifically for commercial production demands (and NOT flavor, obviously).

I have heard they also use the so-called FLORIDA WEAVE.
If you plant tomatoes closely(16"-18") in rows and install two sturdy poles at each end
of a long row and run sturdy ropes, at two levels, they will not fall down
on the walk ways and will suppot each other along the row.
But I, for one, cannot do that because I plant them in irregular patches not long rows.
But still, I do some kind of FLORIDA WEAVing, no cages.

Determinate tomatoes ,short no cage needed ,fruit ripens pretty much at same time

Pic link below is of one Bradley County, AR commercial field using a modified Florida weave. Just scroll down the page. Lots of commercial tomato growers in southern AR.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Commercial tomato field

This guy seems to have an emphasis on taste at his farm... looks like a ton of work. Definitely checkout his pics -- tomato porn if there is such a thing!

http://www.wildboarfarms.com

Their Facebook Pics

Thanks for the replies. The wild Boar Farm looks interesting.

hoosiercherokee,

Those cages on black plastic look just like what I'm doing, just ten times more. I can't image moving around 2000 cages in and out of the field every year.

"I can't image moving around 2000 cages in and out of the field every year."

I have 30 plants in cages and that's more than enough work for me. Just looking at those pictures makes me tired, lol.