August 7, 2025 /3BL/ – In response to modifications announced by the White House on August 1, 2025, to Executive Order 14257 (Regulating Imports With a Reciprocal Tariff To Rectify Trade Practices That Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits), Fairtrade America issued the following statement from Amanda Archila, Executive Director:
“Tariffs on goods that cannot be grown or produced in the U.S. damage the American businesses that are the heartbeat of our towns and cities. Coffee shops, local grocers and corner produce stands all hurt when they must purchase steeply tariffed coffee, cocoa and bananas. According to the National Coffee Association, coffee supports nearly 2.2 million U.S. jobs and adds more than $343 billion to the U.S. economy every year.
“The consequences of these tariffs ripple downstream to higher prices for American consumers and upstream for the farmers around the world who will likely receive less for their labor. To avoid price increases that unnecessarily punish hardworking businesses, consumers, and farmers, exemptions are necessary for grocery store staples, like coffee, cocoa, and bananas. All of which cannot be grown domestically at the scale needed to meet American consumer demand.
“It has been asserted that the goal of imposing these tariffs is to equalize trade deficits in the name of ‘fair trade,’ but they will only exacerbate longstanding inequality among the most vulnerable farmers and workers in the supply chain. Tariffs put more strain on farmers and workers, who have long faced extreme ups and downs when it comes to pricing, demand, and now supply due to climate disruptions. Fairtrade America works with businesses across the U.S. that are dedicated to supporting these producers while creating jobs and opportunity within their own communities. We support tariff exemptions on products that cannot be grown in the U.S. and call on consumers and businesses to demand that the balance of power between farmers, businesses, consumers, and governments is spread equitably. This is real fair trade.”
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Editor’s Notes
- Coffee supports nearly 2.2 million U.S. jobs and adds more than $343 billion to the U.S. economy every year. Coffee consumers spend nearly $110 billion each year. Coffee businesses pay nearly $38 billion in local, state, and federal taxes annually (National Coffee Association).
- The confectionery industry, including chocolate and cocoa, supports nearly 700,000 U.S. jobs and generates $49 billion in economic outputs and $13.7 billion in federal, state and local taxes (National Confectioners Association).
- The U.S. fresh produce & floral industry supports 2.2 million jobs, $120.1 billion in labor income (International Fresh Produce Association).
- The U.S. is one of the biggest consumers of bananas in the world, with the 2024 import value estimated at $3.23 billion. The majority of imports come from South and Central America (U.S. Import Data).