← American Frozen Food Institute
USTRNonrulemakingUSTR-2025-0016

Request for Comments on Significant Foreign Trade Barriers for the 2026 National Trade Estimate Report

RIN
—
Last modified
Oct 31, 2025
Comment window
closed 271d ago
American Frozen Food Institute filings
1

Activity

American Frozen Food Institute filed 1 comment on this docket between Oct 31, 2025 and Oct 31, 2025. 98 other organizations filed here. The comment window closed 271d ago.

What American Frozen Food Institute filed (1)

Oct 31, 2025· Comment from American Frozen Food Institute· USTR-2025-0016-0142

Dear Mr. Marcus, Our industry is proud to be part of a supply chain that brings food from farms to the freezers and plates of consumers here at home and abroad. As demand for frozen fruits, vegetables and processed foods has grown in markets outside of the United States, we see opportunities to expand our export sales in countries in Asia and the Americas. However, we have found tariff barriers have limited opportunities to enter and compete in key markets for frozen foods including Brazil, India, Japan and Vietnam. About AFFI and the U.S. frozen food and beverage industry. AFFI is the member-driven national trade association that advances the interests of all segments of the frozen food and beverage industry. We work to advance food safety and advocate on industry's behalf to create an environment where members' foods and beverages are proudly chosen to meet the needs of a changing world. Our membership includes companies of all sizes -- including many small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which represent more than half of our membership. The U.S. frozen food and beverage industry employs 670,000 people across the United States and throughout the supply chain and pays more than $11 billion in taxes per year. AFFI members export over $2.8 billion annually worldwide. U.S. worldwide exports of frozen products have increased 35% since 2020. This is especially notable given persistent demand for frozen within the United States, and our sector's aim to enable growth at home and, increasingly, in foreign markets. Frozen foods provide consumers with nutritious and convenient meal options while minimizing food waste. Today's frozen food aisle offers a wide range of fruits, vegetables prepared meals, snacks, ingredients and side dishes than ever before. Frozen ingredients are great time savers because the cleaning and chopping are already done and can be more easily portioned and stored for later use. Outlining tariff barriers. We have included one page per market to outline high tariffs in place for Japan, Brazil, India and Vietnam. Because of high tariffs, our exports to these markets are minimal. With high tariffs and our competitors with a tariff-cost advantage, we are losing opportunities to enter the market, solidify a foothold, compete with other exporters of frozen foods, and elevate and advance the high-quality American products with consumers in these markets. If tariffs were removed in these four markets alone, we anticipate US exports of frozen products could increase by $15 million annually in coming years. While modest, we believe this is a good foundation as we continue to balance increased demand at home and explore promising and emerging export markets. We trust that by noting how U.S. grown fruits and vegetables and processed products are virtually shut of important markets, the Administration has additional leverage to bring these countries to the negotiating table and open their markets for our U.S. exporters. Please see the attached document for additional details.

View on regulations.gov →

Abstract

No abstract recorded.

View on regulations.gov →

Co-filers (98)

See everyone who commented →