President Trump threatens tariffs on Brazil and Argentina

Dec 02, 2019

The countries’ devaluation of currency hurts farmers, the president said

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

President Trump wants to reinstate tariffs to steel and aluminum imports from two South American countries.

Steel and aluminum products from Brazil and Argentina could face the import duties, the president said in a series of tweets Monday.

“Brazil and Argentina have been presiding over a massive devaluation of their currencies, which is not good for our farmers,” President Trump tweeted. “Therefore, effective immediately, I will restore the Tariffs on all Steel & Aluminum that is shipped into the U.S. from those countries.”

Brazil and Argentina have been presiding over a massive devaluation of their currencies. which is not good for our farmers. Therefore, effective immediately, I will restore the Tariffs on all Steel & Aluminum that is shipped into the U.S. from those countries. The Federal....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 2, 2019

In June 2018, President Trump placed a 25 per cent tariff on steel and a 10 per cent tariff on aluminum from multiple countries.

Any formal notice of tariffs would have to come from the Treasury or Commerce Departments, or the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

When a country devalues its currency, it “makes it hard for our manufacturers & farmers to fairly export their goods,” the president added.

Brazilian officials are confident they can come to a resolution with President Trump before any tariffs are implemented.

“I’m going to call him so that he doesn’t penalize us … Our economy basically comes from commodities, it’s what we’ve got,” Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro told reporters Monday, Reuters reported. “I hope that (President Trump) understands and that he doesn’t penalize us with this, and I’m almost certain he’ll listen to us.”

Farms.com has reached out to U.S. farm groups for comment.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.