ASTA Statement on U.S.-Indonesia Trade Framework
ASTA's Executive Director issues a statement on the Administration's America First trade policy to negotiate and implement trade agreements that strengthen the American economy and promote U.S. competitiveness, such as the recent deal with Indonesia.
The U.S. spice industry values the Administration's America First trade policy to negotiate and implement trade agreements that strengthen the American economy and promote U.S. competitiveness, such as the recent deal with Indonesia. We support fair and balanced trade policies that reflect the realities of global supply chains and ensure U.S. consumer access of essential imported ingredients, such as spices. These spices naturally add flavor and promote consumption of nutritious and whole foods, and are not otherwise available in the U.S.
Many essential spices, including cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla, require tropical conditions and cannot be cultivated domestically on a commercial scale. Tariffs on these products do not incentivize U.S. production or create American jobs. Instead, they place an undue financial burden on U.S. food manufacturers, restaurants, and ultimately, American consumers.
In fact, the importation of these essential spices supports innovations and operations within the $1.2 trillion U.S. food service industry, including about 50,000 direct U.S. spice industry jobs. These jobs in processing, quality assurance, distribution, and product development contribute significantly to the broader food and restaurant sector, which employs millions of Americans.
ASTA is encouraged by language within the U.S.-Indonesia Framework for an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, under which the U.S. may identify certain commodities not naturally available or domestically produced in the U.S. for a further reduction in the reciprocal tariff rate (often referred to as “Unavailable Natural Resources”). This is a positive sign that the Administration is considering the unique challenges faced by industries that rely on imported agricultural products due to climate and growing conditions. Indonesia is a critical supplier of several spices that are not domestically produced in the U.S., nor are able to be grown here.
We urge the Administration to implement reduced rates for these commodities, outlined in ASTA’s letter to USTR, as negotiations progress. This approach not only supports the U.S. spice industry but also helps preserve affordability for American families and competitiveness for food businesses that use spices to flavor food.
We strongly encourage the Administration to implement this promising framework for spices that cannot be commercially produced in the U.S. across all relevant trade agreements, including potential future deals with any other key trade partners from which our industry sources these critical Unavailable Natural Resources, including Brazil, Egypt, India, Madagascar, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
ASTA remains committed to working closely with the Trump Administration and key agencies to ensure that U.S. trade policies support – not unintentionally harm – American sectors that rely on goods unavailable in the domestic market. We firmly believe that smart, targeted trade policies can support the U.S. spice industry and other American businesses, while helping to keep grocery costs down for families.
Related Resources
ASTA Letter to U.S. Trade Representative Against New Tariffs on Spices Not Grown in the U.S.
On March 11, 2025, ASTA submitted a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative in response to the administration's call for information on unfair and non-reciprocal foreign trade practices. ASTA’s submission emphasizes the critical role of imported spices in the U.S. food supply and urges the government to avoid imposing tariffs on spices that cannot be commercially produced in the U.S., noting that such measures will raise costs for American businesses and consumers. ASTA recognizes the importance of supporting U.S.-grown spices but provides a list of many spices that must be imported due to climate limitations in the U.S., requesting that no new tariffs be imposed on these spices. ASTA also calls for a tariff-exclusion request process to allow individual entities to request exemptions from any tariffs that may be applied on food or agricultural items.
ASTA Comments Supporting Continuation of USMCA
On November 3, 2025, ASTA submitted comments in response to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)’s formal review of the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). The comments strongly support continuation of USMCA and highlight the importance of duty-free movement of spices and spice-containing products across North America. ASTA urged USTR to maintain seamless cross-border trade, avoid rule-of-origin changes that could unintentionally disrupt global spice sourcing, and incorporate all Annex III spices into USMCA to preserve long-standing duty-free access.
