AEM President Dennis Slater issued the following statement last week Friday in response to President Trump’s import tariffs on steel taking effect: Equipment manufacturers remain disappointed at President Trump for allowing harmful steel tariffs to go into effect today. While exemptions for our strategic partners are encouraging, AEM opposes any steel tariffs as they will disrupt the entire global trading …
Farmers for Free Trade: Tariffs Make American Farmers a Target
Brian Kuehl, Executive Director of Farmers for Free Trade, says the Section 301 tariff announcement against China is bad news for American agriculture. The group says these tariffs will put a target on the backs of American farmers. Kuehl says, “In fact, in testimony this week, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says that ‘farmers get the short end of the …
More U.S. Trading Partners Exempted from Tariffs
During testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer confirmed that the European Union, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, and South Korea will be exempted from tariffs on steel and aluminum. A Politico report says Lighthizer told the committee that, “the president has decided to pause the imposition of the tariffs with respect to those countries.” The levies are …
Trump: China Tariffs Will Total $50 Billion
President Donald Trump announced an estimated $50 billion in tariffs against Chinese imports today. Bloomberg says it’s a retaliatory move against intellectual property violations. The move will take effect on more than 100 different types of Chinese products. The overall value of the tariffs was based on economic estimates of the damage caused by those intellectual property violations. Last year, …
Chinese Retaliation On U.S. Pork Exports Will Harm The Rural Economy
The National Pork Producers Council warned that possible Chinese tariffs on U.S. pork could have a significant negative impact on rural America. China has indicated it will impose the duties in response to U.S. tariffs and restrictions – being placed on a host of Chinese goods. “We sell a lot of pork to China, so higher tariffs on our exports …
EU, U.S., to Talk Tariff Exemption
The European Union and U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross are meeting in Washington, D.C. this week to consider a potential tariff exemption. The EU is exploring an exemption from President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, according to Politico. The EU is seeking “more clarity” on the criteria on which such an exemption could be granted. U.S. Trade Representative Robert …
Study: Trump Tariffs to Cost an Estimated 24,000 Agriculture Jobs
A study by the Trade Partnership estimates that the Trump administration’s steel and aluminum tariffs will cost 495,000 jobs in the United States. That figure is up from a previous estimate of 179,000 jobs. Specific to agriculture, the report estimates that tariffs will cost 24,000 jobs. The job losses, according to the study, would impact the services, manufacturing and agricultural …
Business, Farm, Union Groups React to Trump’s Tariffs
Reaction to the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports has been mixed among different sectors of the economy. The Hagstrom Report says Business Roundtable President and CEO Joshua Bolten calls the tariffs a major unforced error by President Trump that will put America’s economic progress at risk. He says, “The tariffs will cause significant harm to industries that rely on …
Mexico, Canada Don’t Want Tariff Exemptions Tied to NAFTA
Mexico and Canada were happy to hear about President’s Trump’s willingness to exclude them from tariffs on steel and aluminum exports to the U.S. However, they expect any talks about a possible permanent exemption to take place outside of the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Politico quotes the Mexican Economy Ministry in a release that says, “The process of …
AEM’s Slater: Trump Tariffs Won’t Help U.S. Manufacturers ‘Win’ Again
AEM worked to discourage President Trump from imposing heavy tariffs on steel and aluminum imports after the president said he intended to do just that this week. AEM is assessing the impact of Trump’s announcement last week that he would impose 25 percent import tariffs on steel and 10 percent import tariffs on aluminum. “President Trump shouldn’t undercut his own …