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Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mother's Day tariff trouble: Flower costs rising. See Western NC grower options
With many consumers already nervous about the cost of groceries and other essentials, here's your reminder that your yearly Mother's Day flower purchase may also be pricier than you're expecting. A May 5 article from USA TODAY addressed concerns that tariffs could cause significant increases in the price of groceries for American shoppers. Though Trump placed a 90-day pause on what his administration called "reciprocal tariffs" of between 20-49% on more than 70 countries on April 9, 2025, tariffs remain largely steeper than they were pre-Trump. A 10% baseline tariff on all imported goods, 25% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada (except those that fall under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement) and a 145% tariff on goods from China remain in place. Several more specific tariffs also remained in place following the pause. "The 10% 'default' tariffs alone represent a truly historic federal tax increase, maybe the largest in my lifetime, with a highly regressive impact," Thomas Gremillion, director of food policy at The Consumer Federation of America, told USA TODAY. Here's what we know about the U.S. floral industry's connection to other nations, and how much of a change we can expect to see on Mother's Day and other special occasions many Americans celebrate with gifts of flowers. A May 2025 study from Utah State University found that as much as 80% of all cut flowers sold in the U.S. are imported. Based on most recent import data recorded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this included roughly $185,000 worth of cut flowers from Canada and Mexico, $3,200 of flowers from China and an additional $2.14 million from a number of other countries in 2023. The U.S. also imports plenty of cut greens for use in bouquets and flower arrangements, including amounts worth roughly $123,000 from Canada and Mexico, $18,560 from China and $136,269 from other countries in 2023. Though prices vary widely when it comes to bouquets and flower arrangements, many florists have warned of the rising cost of flowers caused by tariffs. San Diego wedding florist Le Champagne Projects warned on their website that, due to the rise in tariffs, wedding flower prices could rise by 10%-25% or more. Additionally, online florist platform Details Flowers noted that higher prices for flowers and greenery aren't the only concern for floral designers. Many other supplies used by florists such as vases and baskets are frequently imported from China, which still face tariffs of 145%. One common piece of advice for consumers among florists discussing rising prices is to simply buy flowers grown in the U.S. There are plenty of local flower farms in the Asheville area alone - here are a few Western N.C. spots to consider: Flourish Flower Farm - With over 50 varieties of seasonal flowers listed on the farm's website, Flourish focuses "only on heirloom and specialty varieties for all flowers." The farm stand at 34 Heavens Above, Asheville, NC 28806 will offer Mother's Day vase arrangements, paper-wrapped bouquets, peony punches and more 9 a.m.-6 p.m. from May 8-11. Urban Farm Girl Flowers - Dozens of varieties of local flowers, with anything not grown on the farm sourced from other local farmers and wholesalers. Purchase flowers May-October at the Black Mountain Tailgate Market from 9 a.m.-noon. Carolina Flowers - Delivers seasonal blooms Tuesday-Saturday in the greater Asheville area, with most flowers sourced from the farm during spring, summer and fall. Currently offering Mother's Day flower arrangements and goodies for delivery. Flora Botanical Living - A full service floral design studio and retail plant shop located at 428 B Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806, which also offers an artisan coffee and tea house, class and event space and more. Flying Cloud Farm - Local flowers (plus vegetables and berries) grown using sustainable methods without the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides or insecticides. Visit the farm stand at 1860 Charlotte Hwy, Fairview, NC 28730, or one of the farm's markets: Wednesdays, 3-6 p.m. at the RAD Market on A-B Tech campus at 16 Fernhurst Drive, Asheville, NC 28801 or Saturdays 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at the North Asheville Market on UNCA campus at 275 Edgewood Road, Asheville, NC 28804. Mother's Day falls on the second Sunday of May every year. This year, the date is Sunday, May 11. More: When is Mother's Day 2025? Holiday history, Asheville options for mom, more Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@ This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Mother's Day flowers: Here's how tariffs could affect pricing
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
First-Time Buyers Beware: Homeowner's Insurance Rates Surge up to 59% in These Hot Markets
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Spiraling homeowner's insurance premiums are hitting first-time buyers hard, lifting typical home ownership expenses to budget-busting levels. According to the Consumer Federation of America, the average premium has jumped 24% in the last three years, from $2,656 in 2021 to $3,303 in 2024, costing Americans $21 billion. Leading the pack, Utah, Illinois and Arizona rates have soared 59%, 50% and 48%, raising stress levels in Salt Lake City, Chicago and Phoenix. It is getting prohibitively expensive for many younger professionals to buy their first homes. Those who do pass affordability requirements assume buying power will grow as careers mature and often take mortgages on the most expensive homes they can afford. Surging insurance premiums are upsetting those calculations, especially when added to rising property taxes, a tough job market and childcare costs that now average $12,472 per year, according to the Visual Capitalist. Don't Miss: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – What exactly is homeowner's insurance and why do you need it? The typical policy covers the main dangers of home ownership through four components: dwelling (the house), personal property (your stuff), liability (injury to others) and additional living expenses. Mortgage companies require proof of homeowner's insurance before they will lend you money. Once paid off, there is no legal requirement to maintain coverage, but the risk of 'self-insurance' can be catastrophic. Carriers blame rising premiums on inflation and climate change. The cost of materials to repair a home after a fire or fallen tree went ballistic following the pandemic and could spiral again if tariffs take hold. Their concerns with climate change stem from the devastating wildfires in recent years. Utah Insurance Commissioner Jon Pike drove this point home, telling the Utah Legislature's Business and Labor Interim Committee the record-breaking 59% hike was due to homes built along the Wasatch Front and other high-risk wildfire zones in the past decade. First-time home buyers can cross their fingers and hope rates come down or pray that career gods will be kind with big promotions. However, a better plan will follow these three simple steps to get ahead of this emerging crisis. Trending: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Compare quotes from at least five carriers in your state or locality. You can do this anonymously online with just a ZIP code and reasonable estimate of home value. Then ask neighbors who insure their properties, and if they are satisfied with service and cost, because the cheapest quote isn't the best deal if the carrier turns down legitimate claims. Repeat this process annually because insurers may offer cheaper promotions to first-time customers and then hike premiums by double digits after the first year. Standard automated quotes may set deductibles lower than you need, depending on income and assets. So, It's a good idea to ask for pricing tiered on different deductibles so you can compare costs. Choosing the right liability limits is a tougher call. Picking a lower limit will save money initially but raise the risk of a legal judgment that exceeds coverage, forcing you to pay the balance out of your own pocket. Insurance carriers offer standard discounts when you bundle home and auto coverage. Policyholders also get a break after installing home security and fire safety systems. An upgrade as simple as a smoke detector could bring the premium down to a level that won't bust the bank. Other rebates offered regionally include new home, new roof, wildlife mitigation, water leak detection, green home and gated community/homeowner's association discounts. Read Next: , which provides access to a pool of short-term loans backed by residential real estate with just a $100 minimum. Invest Where It Hurts — And Help Millions Heal: Image: Shutterstock Send To MSN: 0 This article First-Time Buyers Beware: Homeowner's Insurance Rates Surge up to 59% in These Hot Markets originally appeared on
