After the Supreme Court struck down the previous tariff framework in February, the Trump administration has found a new legal mechanism — Section 301 — to reimpose trade levies. The U.S. Trade Representative has now proposed new tariffs on imports from 60 countries, creating widespread confusion across the global trade landscape. The move represents a significant escalation and a structural shift in how the administration intends to pursue its trade agenda going forward.
For produce, this matters because key import origins — Peru, Chile, Guatemala, and others — could all be in the affected group. Unlike the earlier tariff rounds, this is a new legal mechanism, not a continuation of previously covered policy, and the scope of countries involved is broader. Supply chains that depend on counter-seasonal imports from the Southern Hemisphere are particularly exposed.
This story is worth tracking closely as the USTR moves from proposal to finalization. The impact on specific commodities like blueberries, grapes, asparagus, and bananas will depend on which country exemptions — if any — are carved out during the comment period.