The BareStory
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday, November 14, removing tariffs from a range of imported food products, including beef, coffee, bananas, avocados, and tomatoes. The White House attributed the exemptions to "substantial progress" in trade negotiations, while the president told reporters the move should lower consumer prices.
The order was issued one day after the administration established new trade framework agreements with Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Ecuador. The tariff rollback occurs amid concerns over rising food costs. According to federal data for the year ending in September, overall food prices rose 3.1%, with beef up 12.9% and roasted coffee up 18.9%. President Trump had previously stated that tariffs do not raise prices for consumers and are necessary to protect U.S. businesses.
The exemptions apply to products that, according to the president, are "not competitive in this country," such as coffee and bananas. Previously, duties on some goods were significant. One report stated that a 50% tariff had been applied to Brazilian coffee, which supplies about a third of the U.S. market, while effective tariff rates on beef from Brazil were over 75% at a time when the U.S. cattle herd was at a near 75-year low.
The policy change follows scrutiny of high beef prices. Last month, President Trump accused foreign-owned meat packing companies of "Illicit Collusion, Price Fixing, and Price Manipulation." After a proposal to import more beef drew criticism from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Trump stated on social media that U.S. ranchers "have to get their prices down." Some producers have said that shifting tariff policies have discouraged long-term investment.
How it may affect me
As a U.S. reader:
• Prices for imported beef, coffee, and bananas may decrease in the short term, as the administration has removed tariffs to address recent cost increases.
• Consumers may find more imported beef available for purchase, as the tariff removal occurs while the U.S. cattle herd is reported at a near 75-year low.
• Shifting trade policies could affect long-term investment by U.S. food producers, who have stated that policy instability discourages investment in their operations.
