Farm Groups Want U.S. Tariffs to be Suspended, Reduced or Dropped

USAgNet - 05/31/2022

The National Pork Producers Council joined 40 other agricultural groups this week in urging the Biden administration to suspend, reduce, or eliminate U.S. Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs on foreign products coming to the United States in return for countries’ commitments to suspend retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods.

In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai sent Thursday from Farmers for Free Trade, an agriculture trade advocacy group that includes NPPC, the groups pointed out that “by rolling back 301 and 232 tariffs and eliminating retaliatory tariffs, you can increase market access for U.S. food and agriculture exports and reduce costs for critical machinery, fertilizer, agricultural chemicals and other food and agriculture inputs. These efforts would have an immediate effect and would ease the uncertainty felt by all rural America.”

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in early May began a review of Section 301 tariffs on more than $370 billion of Chinese goods. Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 allows USTR to enforce U.S. rights under trade agreements and address unfair foreign barriers to U.S. exports. During the Trump administration, Section 232 tariffs were put on steel and aluminum imports. That section of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 ostensibly is used to protect U.S. national security interests.

Because of Section 232 tariffs remain on Chinese steel, U.S. pork continues to face a 25% retaliatory duty on product going to China.

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