A new ten percent U.S. tariff on goods from around the world officially took effect Tuesday, reshaping the global trade landscape while carving out key exemptions important to agriculture. According to Meatingplace, the list of products excluded from the new import duty includes beef, several major fertilizers, and metals such as steel and aluminum that are already subject to Section 232 national security tariffs.
The ten percent tariff was enacted under Section 122 of U.S. trade law and was announced last week following a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down President Donald Trump’s broader use of tariffs that had been in place since February 2025. The court’s ruling forced the administration to rely on more limited statutory authority, prompting the move under Section 122.
“Section 122 only allows tariffs for 150 days without congressional action,” Meatingplace said. “The President had said over the weekend he was raising them to 15 percent, the cap set in Section 122, but Tuesday’s action remained at ten percent.”
For agriculture, the exemption list carries significant implications. Fertilizer products that are excluded from the new tariff include urea, ammonium nitrate, urea ammonium nitrate solution (UAN), ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate (DAP), monoammonium phosphate (MAP), and other related inputs widely used by U.S. crop producers. The exclusion of these products provides short-term cost certainty for farmers heading into critical application windows.
However, not all crop nutrients avoided the tariff. Ammonia, sulfuric acid, and sulfur are not exempt from the new import duty unless they are brought into the country under provisions of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement. That distinction could influence sourcing decisions for retailers and manufacturers who depend on global supply chains for fertilizer production.
The targeted exemptions underscore the administration’s effort to balance trade enforcement with concerns about food production costs and supply chain stability. While the ten percent tariff applies broadly to imported goods, the carve-outs for beef and many fertilizers aim to limit disruption to domestic food and agriculture markets during the 150-day window allowed under Section 122 authority.
