The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced its intention to withdraw from the 2019 Tomato Suspension Agreement. This decision will take effect on July 14, 2025, and will reinstate a 20.91% tariff on all imported fresh and chilled tomatoes from Mexico.
The original agreement was established in 1996 between the Department of Commerce and Mexican tomato producers/exporters to address what were considered unfair trade practices by Mexican exporters. In 2019, an investigation by the Department of Commerce found that Mexican tomatoes were being dumped into the U.S. market with dumping margins as high as 30.48%. As a result, the 2019 Tomato Suspension Agreement was created to address loopholes in previous agreements and suspend anti-dumping duties against Mexican exporters.
Despite these efforts, imports of Mexican tomatoes have increased nearly 400% over the last 29 years. During this period, the market share for domestically produced fresh tomatoes in the United States has fallen from 80% to approximately 30%.
The Florida Farm Bureau Federation expressed support for advocating on behalf of the U.S. fresh tomato industry to secure a fair trade agreement with trading partners.
To read Congresswoman Kat Cammack’s press release, including a statement from President Jeb Smith, please visit their respective platforms.
For further questions or concerns, contact relevant parties directly.
