In a significant bipartisan move, U.S. Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are set to introduce legislation aimed at exempting coffee products from tariffs starting January 19, 2025. The proposed bill, as reported by the Washington Post, would cover roasted and decaffeinated coffee, coffee husks, skins, and other coffee-based beverages or substitutes. The initiative seeks to alleviate the financial burden on American consumers by preventing additional costs on a daily essential. ‘Why are we tariffing American citizens on something that we don’t even grow? It doesn’t make sense,’ Bacon remarked in an interview with the newspaper. The move comes in response to the persistent high prices of coffee in the U.S., a situation exacerbated by the 50% tariff on Brazilian green coffee imports imposed during the Trump administration. Since the tariff’s implementation, arabica coffee prices have surged by approximately 50% on the Intercontinental Exchange in New York, and Brazil, which previously supplied a third of the U.S. coffee market, has significantly reduced its shipments. The proposed legislation highlights the ongoing efforts to address the economic impact of trade policies on everyday goods.
US lawmakers plan to introduce bipartisan bill to kill coffee tariffs, Washington Post reports
