Retaliatory Tariffs from China Impact Agricultural Commodities

In response to President Trump’s proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, China announced retaliatory tariffs on 128 products on Monday, April 3. These tariffs include a 15 percent tariff on American fruit and nut exports, and a 25 percent tariff on U.S. pork exports. Soybean and beef exports will also experience a 25 percent tariff from the Chinese due to the Trump administration’s efforts to punish China for intellectual property theft with an additional $100 million of tariffs.

The administration has released its list of potential Chinese imports that could see 25 percent tariffs. Included on this list is machinery to clean, sort or grade seeds. The full list can be found on USTR’s website.  

“The entire agriculture community will be hit hard if this situation escalates to a trade war,” said ASTA President & CEO Andy LaVigne. “We’re monitoring the situation closely and working with a diverse coalition of agriculture partners and stakeholder groups to voice our support for a quick resolution that benefits U.S. agriculture in the short and long term.”

The Office of the United States Trade Representative will have a docket open for public comment on its proposed list of tariffs on Chinese goods. That docket will close in late May.