Congressman Castro Leads Texas House Dems in Fight Against Trump's Tomato Tariffs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) led the Texas House Democrats in a letter urging the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, to reverse his decision to end the 2019 Tomato Suspension Agreement and to impose a 17.09% tariff on tomatoes imported from Mexico despite bipartisan appeals from federal and state officials.
This decision will have significant economic consequences, including higher prices for consumers, reduced variety of tomatoes, and negative impacts on U.S. producers who rely on imports during the winter months to meet demand as well as on U.S. trucking, warehousing, wholesale, and retail jobs.
“We write to express our profound concern and disappointment over your decision to terminate the Tomato Suspension Agreement (TSA) and to impose a 17.09% tariff on imported Mexican tomatoes. For nearly three decades, the TSA has underpinned a framework that supported tens of thousands of American jobs – especially in Texas – ensured fair pricing, and upheld minimum quality standards for consumers. Despite bipartisan appeals from federal and state officials, including Governor Abbott, and a near-unanimous resolution by the Texas legislature urging you to preserve the TSA, your decision has instead placed disproportionate weight on the interests of one state over the well-being of consumers and businesses across the country,” the lawmakers wrote.
“The decision to abandon the TSA has seriously affected Texas families and businesses. The import of Mexican tomatoes contributes more than $8 billion to the U.S. economy and supports 50,000 jobs, including thousands in Texas. The TSA is essential to the financial viability of hundreds of American businesses, including over 150 in Texas. A group of organizations that represent the business community, from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the Corn Refiners Association to the Pork Producers Association have urged you to maintain the TSA,” the lawmakers continued.
“This policy shift is particularly perplexing given the TSA’s strong record of enforcement and effectiveness. The Department of Commerce and USDA rigorously administered the agreement, issuing over 320 audit questionnaires, reviewing 14,000 certifications, and conducting detailed administrative reviews. USDA inspections since April 2020 had a 99.3% pass rate. As recently as December 2024, Commerce found no evidence of dumping or price suppression by Mexican growers. We strongly urge you to reengage in good-faith negotiations and work toward a renewed agreement that preserves the economic, agricultural, and consumer benefits that the TSA has long provided,” the lawmakers concluded.
Background
On April 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it planned to withdraw from the Tomato Suspension Agreement, which sets a minimum price and other requirements for imported tomatoes. The tomato suspension agreement was first negotiated in 1996, and has been revised multiple times since then, most recently in 2019.
In June 2025, the Texas Legislature passed a bi-partisan resolution, which Governor Abbott signed, urging the U.S. Department of Commerce to maintain the Tomato Suspension Agreement.
On July 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced it had terminated the Tomato Suspension Agreement, resulting in duties of 17.09% on most tomatoes imported from Mexico.
Read the full letter here.