U.S. Lifts 40% Surtax on Key Brazilian Farm Goods, Including Coffee and Beef

Overview

• A presidential decree signed on Nov. 20 removes the Brazil-specific 40% duty from a defined list of agricultural items, with coffee, beef and fruits among 249 newly exempted products.
• The exemptions apply to shipments that entered the U.S. since Nov. 13, and authorities say duties paid for that period will be reimbursed.
• The step follows the Nov. 14 rollback of a separate 10% global surcharge, returning many covered items to pre-2025 tariff levels.
• Brazil’s government and exporters praised the decision yet stressed it is partial, with about 22% of Brazilian exports still facing U.S. surtaxes and the emergency authority remaining in force.
• The order references an Oct. 6 Trump–Lula call and notes “initial progress” in negotiations, while coverage points to U.S. food-price pressures and political factors as influences on the move.