WASHINGTON, DC - In a letter to Trump administration officials, the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) warned that proposed tariffs would drive up the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables and urged the administration to provide exemptions to fresh produce and floral products.

IFPA sent the March 27 letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and U.S. Trade Representative Jamison Greer.

President Trump has set an April 2 deadline for imposing 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico, as well as for implementing the administration’s “Fair and Reciprocal Plan” affecting other nations.

IFPA CEO Cathy Burns wrote: “The proposed U.S. tariffs and the resulting retaliatory actions of other nations threaten American consumers' ability to afford fresh produce and florals, as well as the stability and prosperity of the growers and businesses that supply them...Higher prices mean consumers buy fewer of the fresh foods that hold the greatest potential to make Americans healthier. IFPA members respectfully urge the Trump administration to provide exemptions from new and future tariffs for fresh produce and florals.”

Despite concerns over tariffs, Burns noted that IFPA strongly supports the Trump administration’s broader efforts to reduce bureaucratic burdens and reform regulations.