President Donald Trump today reaffirmed his plan to place 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting March 4.
In a post on Truth Social the morning of February 27, Trump said drugs such as fentanyl continue to be smuggled across both borders at “unacceptable levels.”
“We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled,” Trump wrote. “China will likewise be charged an additional 10% Tariff on that date.”
Trump announced the tariffs when he was first inaugurated in January, but in early February, said they would be paused for a month in order to negotiate with leaders in Canada and Mexico.
The proposed tariffs have caused much uncertainty during the pause, including in the fresh produce industry, since Canada and Mexico are the United States’ largest trading partners for fruits and vegetables.
Fresh produce leaders had hoped for some exceptions or exemptions for their products, but this remains uncertain.
“We believe a blanket tariff would lead to increases in prices for produce in North America,” said Rebeckah Adcock, vice president of U.S. government relations for the International Fresh Produce Association BB #:378962, in mid-February. “It just limits supply, even on products we produce domestically.”
