Multi-Industry Letter to the White House on Rail Labor Contract
ASTA signed onto a multi-industry coalition letter to President Biden in October 2022 urging him to continue to work with the railroad unions and railroads to ensure that the tentative agreement that he helped broker is ratified by the parties, as a rail shutdown would have a significant impact on the U.S. economy and lead to further inflationary pressure.
10/27/2022 at 5:15 am
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Related Resources
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.
ASTA Comments on Section 301 Investigation of Excess Capacity
In April 2026, ASTA submitted comments in response to the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) Section 301 investigations on structural excess capacity, acknowledging the Administration's work on trade policy, expressing gratitude for previous exemptions for spices, and requesting that spices continue to be exempt from any new tariffs imposed under Section 301.
