Trade
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that his proposed 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods will go into effect on March 4 and threatened an extra 10% duty on Chinese imports.
President Trump says tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico will now take effect on April 2, 2025.
Trump said Monday that his planned 25% tariffs on all Mexican and Canadian exports to the U.S. “are going ahead on time, on schedule,” meaning the duties would take effect on March 4 at the conclusion of a one-month suspension.
Dante Galeazzi, president and CEO of the Texas International Produce Association, discusses the impact proposed 25% tariffs on imported produce could have on the state and the country.
The full impact of tariffs remains uncertain, raising more questions than answers as the industry navigates ongoing challenges and policy shifts, says Erin Mittelstaedt, CEO for The FruitGuys.
“It’s unlikely that changes in tariffs will impact prices headed into the Super Bowl, however, we’ll see how it plays out in the coming weeks,” Dr. Michael Swanson says.
Just hours before the tariffs were set to take effect, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the news on X, and President Donald Trump later confirmed. Mexico is the top destination for U.S. ag exports. The announcement from Canada came later on Monday.
“While we appreciate the border security issues apparently motivating the Trump administration, rival growers of specialty crops outside of the U.S. will move quickly to seize the new business opportunities created by these tariffs to sell into the Canadian, Mexican and Chinese marketplaces,” said Western Growers’ President and CEO Dave Puglia.
Following President Trump’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, Canada announced its own 25% tariffs on $155 billion worth of U.S. imports. Mexico also announced its own retaliatory measures, but no specifics were unveiled as of Sunday morning.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump justified the tariffs as a response to what he described as excessive migration, drug trafficking and unfair trade practices. While he suggested the tariff rate could further increase, he indicated a decision on whether oil imports would be exempt would come soon.
Imposing tariffs would lead to “inflation in the supermarket,” says the president of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas.
President-elect Donald Trump has talked about increasing tariffs on foreign goods, arguing that such import taxes would keep manufacturing jobs in the U.S., shrink the federal deficit and help lower food prices.
After recent tariff lifts on apples, walnuts and almonds, India has slashed tariffs for additional U.S. exports, including include blueberries and cranberries, signaling increased opportunities for American producers.
“Change happens, growth is optional,” said CPMA President Ron Lemaire in urging the Canadian fresh produce industry to find growth and opportunities where others see setbacks.
The hybrid conference seeks to impart thought-provoking advancements and updates from the USDA’s 29 agencies, with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack leading the event.
U.S. agricultural exports reached $196 billion, with sales in seven agricultural export markets setting records, according to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
The Strengthening Organic Enforcement Final Rule, filed unofficially by the USDA on Jan. 18, represents the biggest update in the program’s history and bolsters organic integrity according to industry leaders.
The organic enforcement final rule is expected to publish Jan. 18, the USDA has confirmed with The Packer, which separately met with Jonathan Veley of the USDA to discuss organic produce.
President Donald Trump remains in U.S. farmers’ good graces, according to the latest Farm Journal Pulse survey.
The U.S will target China with a new “strike force” to combat unfair trade practices, as the administration rolled out findings of a review of U.S. access to critical products, from semiconductors to EV batteries.
A 17-year conflict over aircraft subsidies is coming to a temporary close as the U.S. and European Union have agreed to a truce, and it could spill over into a positive move for certain U.S. agricultural goods.
As backlogs at U.S. ports and climbing shipping rates plague the supply chain, new data shows container shipping rates between the U.S and China are dropping by more than 50% in just a month.
A virtual working meeting is expected before year’s end between President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The commodity markets came under pressure to start the week as traders tried to shed risk over shipping concerns in China as COVID-19 concerns caused officials to shut down transportation amid a two-pronged lockdown.
President Biden says he has not made a decision yet on whether to lift some of the $370 billion of tariffs imposed on Chinese imports by the Trump Administration.
U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh remained optimistic about contract negotiations between workers and shipping companies for some of the country’s most important ports, even as talks extend past a previous deadline.
Reps. Dusty Johnson and Jim Costa on Tuesday introduced the Safer Highways and Increased Performance for Interstate Trucking (SHIP IT) Act to expand the trucking workforce and offer flexibility in times of need.
If the nation’s debt hits $31.4 trillion—it’s on track to do so by this Thurs.—the Treasury will need to take “extraordinary measures” to help pay the government’s operations and ward off a historic default.
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Alexis Taylor for Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. According to Taylor, her priorities include addressing export markets and food insecurity.
Using duties to replace the suspension agreement that regulates U.S. imports of Mexican tomatoes would make things far worse for the U.S. tomato market, says Javier Badillo of the FPAA in this guest column.