Commerce Department to end tomato suspension agreement with Mexico

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced it will nix an agreement with Mexico regarding the import of tomatoes. This follows years of farmers in Florida and elsewhere complaining about the dumping of weak products across the border.

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, a Longboat Key Republican, applauded the decision.

“Terminating the 2019 Tomato Suspension Agreement is a long-overdue victory for Florida’s tomato growers and the broader U.S. produce industry,” Buchanan said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that Florida growers produce 56% of domestic fresh round tomato truck shipments, so the import of tomatoes into the U.S. disproportionately impacts the state’s agriculture.

“For too long, unfair Mexican trade practices and illegal dumping have decimated American farms and tilted the playing field against our hardworking growers,” Buchanan said. “This decision finally opens the door to strong, enforceable trade remedies that will protect American jobs, strengthen our rural economy, and ensure our farmers can compete and thrive.”

Buchanan serves as Vice Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Notably, the 2019 Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Investigation on Fresh Tomatoes was first implemented during President Donald Trump’s first term in the White House. It was announced as Trump implemented the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement. Buchanan played a role in negotiating the new treaty at the time.

The agreement remained in effect through Democratic President Joe Biden’s four-year term as well.

However, the International Trade Administration announced that an antidumping order will now go into effect on July 14. This order will result in duties of nearly 21% on most imports of tomatoes from Mexico.

“The strict enforcement of U.S. trade law is a primary focus of the Trump Administration. Commerce’s Enforcement and Compliance unit within the International Trade Administration is responsible for vigorously enforcing U.S. trade laws and does so based on factual evidence provided on the record,” reads an announcement from the administration.

“Commerce currently maintains 734 antidumping and countervailing duty orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.”