White House slapping 21% tariffs on tomatoes from Mexico
The Trump administration plans to withdraw from a trade agreement that lets Mexico export tomatoes to the U.S. duty-free, the Commerce Department said.
Starting July 14, tomatoes from south of the border will be tariffed at 20.91%.
'The current agreement has failed to protect U.S. tomato growers from unfairly priced Mexican imports, as Commerce has been flooded with comments from them urging its termination. This action will allow U.S. tomato growers to compete fairly in the marketplace,' the department said in a news release Monday.
Tomatoes sold in the U.S. from Mexico are controlled by the Department of Commerce through the suspension agreement, which sets minimum pricing and regulates sales between growers and importers.
Mexican tomato producers signed an agreement with President Donald Trump's first administration in 2019 to end a tariff dispute.
As part of the 2019 agreement, Mexico-based growers agreed not to sell tomatoes below a reference price, a seasonably adjusted floor price at which Mexican tomatoes can't fall underneath and still be exported to the U.S.
Mexico exports about 56% of the tomatoes it produces, with 99% of exports destined for the U.S., according to the country's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, reported Milenio.
In 2023, the U.S. market accounted for $2.7 billion worth of tomato exports from Mexico, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Laredo customs district in South Texas — which includes Laredo's World Trade Bridge and the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge in Pharr — accounts for the majority of tomato imports from Mexico, followed by the border crossing in Nogales, Arizona.
Officials for the Florida Tomato Exchange (FTE) said they support the tariffs on Mexican-grown tomatoes.
Florida growers have been pushing for more restrictions on Mexican-grown tomatoes for decades. Since 1996, the U.S. and Mexico have negotiated five separate agreements regarding tomato imports.
In June 2023, the FTE requested that the federal government terminate the tomato agreement, alleging that it has 'failed to stop unfairly traded Mexican tomatoes from destroying the U.S. tomato industry,' it said in a news release.
'This is a major victory for American agriculture,' Robert Guenther, FTE executive vice president, said in a news release on Monday. 'For decades, American tomato farmers have suffered from unfair trade practices by Mexican tomato exporters. Terminating this agreement and enforcing U.S. trade laws is the only way to finally give domestic growers the relief they've long deserved.'
The post White House slapping 21% tariffs on tomatoes from Mexico appeared first on FreightWaves.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
LA protests: California questions Trump's military response
The Pentagon mobilized 700 Marines and doubled the National Guard troops in response to immigration enforcement protests Marines expected to reach Los Angeles by Tuesday morning California Governor Gavin Newsom sues the Trump administration over deployment of the National Guard and Marines Australia speaks to US over reporter shot with rubber bullet while covering anti-Ice protests This blog covers the latest developments in the United States on Tuesday, June 10, as President Donald Trump's administration deploys active-duty Marines to deal with the LA protests: Australia has raised concerns with the United States government after a reporter was seemingly targeted and shot with a rubber bullet while covering protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. "We don't find it acceptable that it occurred," Albanese said. The incident during which Australia's Nine News US correspondent Lauren Tomasi was shot live on camera. Albanese said he also spoke to Tomasi. She wrote on Sunday that she was a "bit sore" but otherwise well, adding it was "important we keep on telling the stories that need to be told." President Donald Trump's administration has announced the deployment of 700 active-duty US Marines and an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles. The move has drawn sharp criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who described the deployment as "deranged" and accused the President of using the military to serve his own political interests. "This isn't about public safety," Governor Newsom said. "It's about stroking a dangerous President's ego." The deployment of active-duty military personnel within US cities is highly unusual and has raised concerns among local officials. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the arrival of Marines without prior coordination posed a significant logistical and operational challenge. He expressed confidence in the police department's ability to manage large-scale demonstrations independently. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also condemned the move, calling it a "deliberate attempt to create disorder and chaos in our city." "I feel like we are part of an experiment that we did not ask to be a part of," she said. About 700 active-duty Marines are heading to Los Angeles on Tuesday - a move that state and city officials say will only make things worse. What started as peaceful demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations on Friday has become more heated. The situation escalated after President Donald Trump ordered in the National Guard, despite California Governor Gavin Newsom's opposition. Protesters and law enforcement clashed, with cars set on fire in the streets. It's the first time in 60 years that a president has deployed active-duty troops to back up the National Guard at home. Stay with DW for real-time news, analysis, and insights from our correspondents on the ground as we continue to cover the LA protests.
28 minutes ago
In their own words: Trump, Newsom trade insults and barbs over National Guard in Los Angeles
The swiftly evolving situation in the Los Angeles area over protests surrounding immigration enforcement actions has also cued up a public spat between President Donald Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California governor who has been one of the Republican president's most vocal Democratic critics. After Trump on Sunday called up 2,000 National Guard troops to respond, Newsom said he would sue the administration, a promise on which the state followed through a day later. Trump cited a legal provision that allows him to mobilize federal service members when there is 'a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States." The president also agreed with one of his top advisers that maybe the governor should be arrested. Here's a look at back-and-forth between Trump and Newsom in their own words: 'You have violent people, and we're not gonna let them get away with it.' — Trump, Sunday, in remarks to reporters in Morristown, New Jersey. ___ Newsom's ire has been elevated over Trump's decision to, without his support, call up the California National Guard for deployment into his state. In a letter Sunday, Newsom called on Trump to rescind the Guard deployment, calling it a 'serious breach of state sovereignty.' The governor, who was in Los Angeles meeting with local law enforcement and other officials, also told protesters they were playing into Trump's plans and would face arrest for violence or property destruction. 'Trump wants chaos and he's instigated violence,' he said. 'Stay peaceful. Stay focused. Don't give him the excuse he's looking for.' In an interview with MSNBC, Newsom said Sunday he had spoken with Trump 'late Friday night,' after the protests had begun, but said deploying the National Guard 'never came up.' "We talked for almost 20 minutes, and he — barely, this issue never came up. I mean, I kept trying to talk about LA, he wanted to talk about all these other issues," Newsom said. 'We had a very decent conversation.' 'He never once brought up the National Guard,' Newsom said of Trump, calling him 'a stone-cold liar.' Saying, 'I did call him the other night,' Trump told reporters Sunday that he told Newsom in that call: ''Look you've got to take care of this. Otherwise I'm sending in the troops.' ... That's what we did.' On Monday, Trump posted on social media that Los Angeles would have been 'completely obliterated' without his intervention and referred to Newsom as 'Newscum,' a pejorative moniker he has used to refer to the governor. 'We are suing Donald Trump. This is a manufactured crisis. He is creating fear and terror to take over a state militia and violate the U.S. constitution.' — Newsom, Monday, X post. ___ As Newsom promised, California officials sued the Trump administration on Monday, with the state's attorney general, Rob Bonta, arguing that the deployment of troops 'trampled' on the state's sovereignty and pushing for a restraining order. The initial deployment of 300 National Guard troops was expected to quickly expand to the full 2,000 that were authorized by Trump. Late Monday, Trump authorized an additional 2,000 National Guard troops. Ahead of that move, Newsom accused the president of inflaming tensions, breaching state sovereignty and wasting resources, while warning protesters not to 'take Trump's bait.' Teasing the suit, Newsom told MSNBC that he saw the deployment as 'an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act.' Asked Monday about the lawsuit, Trump said it was 'interesting' and argued 'that place would be burning down' without the federal government's intervention. 'I'm very happy I got involved," Trump added. "I think Gavin in his own way is very happy I got involved.' 'I think it's great. Gavin likes the publicity, but I think it would be a great thing." — Trump, Monday, in remarks to reporters. ___ Tom Homan, the Trump administration's border czar, previously warned that anyone, including public officials, would be arrested if they obstructed federal immigration enforcement. Newsom's initial response to Homan, during the MSNBC interview and in subsequent posts on his own social media: 'Come and get me, tough guy.' On Monday Trump seemed to agree with his border chief, telling reporters, 'I would do it if I were Tom.' 'I think it's great. Gavin likes the publicity, but I think it would be a great thing,' Trump added. "He's done a terrible job. Look — I like Gavin, he's a nice guy, but he's grossly incompetent, everybody knows." Homan later said there was 'no discussion' about actually arresting Newsom, but reiterated that 'no one's above the law.' wrote Monday on X that they represented 'a day I hoped I would never see in America' and said Trump's call for his arrest marked 'an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.'
Newsweek
28 minutes ago
- Newsweek
MAGA Supporters Counter Anti-ICE Protests: 'Go Back to Mexico'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Several Donald Trump supporters in Tampa, Florida, have started counter-protests to anti-ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, demonstrations. Video footage posted on X, formerly Twitter, shows a man holding a red "MAGA country" flag chanting "we want ICE" and telling a woman holding a Mexican flag: "If you love Mexico, go back to Mexico." In another clip, a group of men can be seen holding a Trump-Vance banner, before move for a truck coming through. Hundreds gathered outside Tampa's City Hall to protest on Monday, after a weekend of violent clashes between anti-ICE demonstrators and law enforcement. Police intervened during some heated moments between anti-ICE protesters and counter-protesters but there was no violence, according to Tampa broadcaster FOX13. This is a developing story - more to follow.
