Articles by Bill Tomson

China is starting its retaliation against U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs today, announcing it is imposing its own tariffs on a list of 128 U.S. products that are mostly farm commodities.

President Donald Trump today signed off on a plan to punish China for years of stealing intellectual property by imposing about $60 billion worth of tariffs on Chinese goods. The move came despite a growing chorus of warnings from Capitol Hill and farm groups that China will retaliate by taxing or blocking U.S. agricultural goods.

The U.S. ag sector, already reeling from depressed prices, understands the White House’s desire to punish trade abuses by countries like China, but there is a growing fear that President Donald Trump’s aggressive tactics and rhetoric are threatening overseas markets, according to farm and trade officials speaking today at an Agri-Pulse forum.

President Donald Trump’s plan to slap steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports isn’t just a way to prop up domestic producers – his ag secretary says it’s also leverage he’s going to use to get Canada and Mexico to agree to U.S. demands in the ongoing negotiations to rewrite the North American Free Trade Agreement.

USDA chief Sonny Perdue today came out in support of President Donald Trump’s trade policy tactics in proposing steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, but also stressed that the U.S. ag sector is rightfully concerned that it could suffer from foreign retaliation.