tariffs

President Trump Cuts Certain Reciprocal Tariffs on Agricultural Products

By: Brandon French, Senior Associate, BLG

Quick Answer

On November 14, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order exempting certain agricultural products from reciprocal tariffs, modifying the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS). This decision was based on ongoing trade negotiations, current domestic demand, and production capacity. The exemptions, which went into effect on November 13, 2025, specifically apply to items within HTS chapters such as 02 (meat), 07 (vegetables), 08 (fruits, nuts), 09 (coffee, tea, spices), 20 (preparations of vegetables/fruits), and 31 (fertilizers). Companies impacted by reciprocal tariffs should monitor for new exemptions to mitigate their effects.

On November 14, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order exempting certain agricultural products from the reciprocal tariffs (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/11/modifying-the-scope-of-the-reciprocal-tariff-with-respect-to-certain-agricultural-products/). President Trump indicated that:

After considering the information and recommendations these officials have provided to me, the status of negotiations with various trading partners, current domestic demand for certain products, and current domestic capacity to produce certain products, among other things, I have determined that it is necessary and appropriate to further modify the scope of products subject to the reciprocal tariff imposed under Executive Order 14257, as amended.  Specifically, I have determined that certain agricultural products shall not be subject to the reciprocal tariff imposed under Executive 14257, as amended. 

The exemptions for certain agricultural products went into effect on November 13, 2025.

The Executive Order indicates that the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTS”) shall be modified as provided in Annex I to this order. Some of the more relevant HTS chapters include:

  • 02 (certain meat and edible meat offal)
  • 07 (certain edible vegetables, roots, and tubers)
  • 08 (certain edible fruits, nuts, peel of citrus, fruit, and melons)
  • 09 (certain coffee, tee,  maté, and spices)
  • 20 (certain preparations of vegetables, fruits, buts, or other parts or plants)
  • 31 (certain fertilizers)

For a complete list of excluded agricultural products and the corresponding HTS codes, see Annex I (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/annex.pdf).

As trade negotiations continue, it is likely that President Trump will continue to review previously issued Executive Orders to determine if any additional products should still be subject to the reciprocal tariff imposed under Executive Order 14257. Companies that are impacted by the reciprocal tariffs should closely monitor for any new exemptions that are released in an effort to continue mitigating the overall impacts of the tariffs. 

For additional inquiries, feel free to reach out to Brandon French at Brandon@Braumillerlaw.com to discuss whether you may qualify for one of the agricultural exemptions.

Read more articles by these authors:

https://www.braumillerlaw.com/author/brandonfrench/

Frequently Asked Questions

1 Which specific agricultural products are exempt from the reciprocal tariffs mentioned in the Executive Order?

The Executive Order exempts certain agricultural products from reciprocal tariffs, modifying the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS). Relevant HTS chapters include 02 (meat), 07 (vegetables), 08 (fruits, nuts), 09 (coffee, tea, spices), 20 (preparations of vegetables/fruits), and 31 (fertilizers). A complete list of excluded products and their HTS codes is provided in Annex I of the order.

2 When did these exemptions for certain agricultural products take effect?

The exemptions for certain agricultural products went into effect on November 13, 2025. President Trump issued the Executive Order announcing these changes on November 14, 2025.

3 Why were these particular agricultural products chosen for tariff exemption?

President Trump determined these modifications were necessary and appropriate after considering information and recommendations from officials, the status of negotiations with trading partners, current domestic demand, and domestic production capacity for certain products. This decision was made to further modify the scope of products subject to the reciprocal tariff.

4 Are further changes to reciprocal tariffs anticipated in the future?

Yes, the article indicates that as trade negotiations continue, President Trump is likely to continue reviewing previously issued Executive Orders. This review will determine if any additional products should still be subject to the reciprocal tariff.