The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative finalized levies on Brazil late Wednesday night after a yearlong investigation into unfair trade practices by the country.
USTR will impose a 25% tariff on Brazilian certain goods under Section 301 of a 1974 trade law. The tariffs will go into place on July 22, according to a July 15 notice of action.
“Safeguarding American economic interests against unfair trade practices is the bedrock of President Trump’s America First policies,” U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a press release.
Greer noted that the “extensive” negotiations with Brazil have not resolved the issues with the country’s unfair practices and USTR will continue to engage in negations.
“Whether it is punishing U.S. technology companies for refusing to censor political speech, backsliding on anti-corruption enforcement, or allowing Brazilian farmers to exploit illegally logged land to gain an advantage over American farmers, Brazil’s unfair trading practices have prevented U.S. workers and producers from accessing this important market with over 210 million consumers,” he said.
The finalization of the tariffs comes after USTR held a two-day public hearing on the Sec. 301 investigation last week. Several commodity groups testified, including the Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America, U.S. Cattlemen's Association, American Seed Trade Association and U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council, among others.
The notice of action carved out exemptions to the tariffs as listed out in Annex I from the initial determination notice and request for public comments. USTR opened the Sec. 301 investigation on July 15, 2025.
The annex exempts certain agricultural products from the tariffs such as bovine products, nuts – including Brazilian nuts – bananas, certain coffee and tea products and seeds.
R-CALF USA and USCA urged strong tariff action on Brazilian beef.
“Contrary to U.S. interests, Brazil produces beef from cattle raised on illegally deforested lands,” Bill Bullard, R-CALF USA's CEO said at the July 6 hearing. “A 25% on Brazilian beef and beef products can substantially remediate Brazil’s illegal deforestation while simultaneously protecting America’s cattle ranchers from artificially lower-cost Brazilian beef sourced from illegally deforested lands, which undermines their competitiveness and substantially contributes to the ongoing contraction of their industry.”
Bullard said that the 50% tariff on Brazilian beef that was in place August through November of 2025 didn’t cause “economy-wide disruptions.”
USTR decided to maintain the exemption on beef products.
"There remains limited availability of these products outside of Brazil, however, and Section 301(c)(3)(B) provides that the Trade Representative is authorized to take action against any goods or economic sector 'without regard to whether or not such goods or economic sector were involved in the act, policy, or practice that is the subject of such action,'" the notice of action said.
R-CALF USA said in a statement to Agri-Pulse that they are "disappointed" USTR maintained the beef exemption.
"Unmanaged imports from Brazil contributed to the severe liquidation of the U.S. cattle herd, shrinking it to the smallest size in 75 years. Now, those same unmanaged imports from Brazil will impede domestic herd expansion and fuel the ongoing exodus of American ranchers from America’s rural landscape," Bullard said in the statement.
USTR is also investigating 60 nations under Sec. 301 for forced labor. Those tariffs range from 10% to 12.5%.
