Beef Industry Sees Some Silver Linings As Reciprocal Tariffs Go Into Effect

President Donald Trump unveiled a series of tariffs on Wednesday afternoon during his “Make America Wealthy Again” event in the White House Rose Garden.

Using his International Emergency Economic Powers Act authority, he announced the U.S. will impose a 10% tariff on all countries that will take effect April 5, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EDT.

Trump will also impose an individualized reciprocal higher tariff on the countries with which the U.S. has the largest trade deficits to take effect April 9, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EDT. All other countries will continue to be subject to the original 10% tariff baseline.

Livestock Industry Weighs In On Announcement

During the event, which was broadcast live across the U.S. and abroad, Trump held up a chart showing specific countries in line for what he described as reciprocal tariffs.

“ We will charge them approximately half of what they are — and have been — charging us,” he said. “So, the tariffs will not be a full reciprocal. I could have done that, I guess, but it would have been tough for a lot of countries.”

Joe Schuele, U.S. Meat Export Federation senior vice president of communications, responding to the announcement in a prepared statement, said the president’s executive order provides more clarity on the administration’s approach to reciprocal tariffs.

“USMEF’s main concern is obviously how our trading partners will react,” Schuele said. “We are hopeful that they will focus on eliminating barriers to trade rather than imposing restrictive countermeasures.”

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane also issued a statement after attending President Donald J. Trump’s announcement at the White House.