Reps. Tokuda, Timmons lead bipartisan push to eliminate coffee tariffs

US Reps. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaiʻi) and William Timmons (R-S.C.), co-chairs of the Congressional Coffee Caucus, led a bipartisan letter urging Ambassador Jamieson Greer, United States Trade Representative, to remove existing and future tariffs on coffee.

“Unlike many other goods affected by recent tariffs, coffee is not produced at a scale within the United States that can meet domestic demand,” the letter stated. “Though small quantities of predominantly specialty coffee are grown in Hawai‘i and Puerto Rico, their combined production accounts for less than 1 percent of US coffee consumption.”

The letter claimed that there is no viable domestic substitute for imported coffee, adding that the coffee industry supports 2.2 million American jobs, generates over $100 billion in wages and contributes an estimated $343 billion in economic output per year.

The move comes as, earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced plans to levy a 50% tariff on most goods, including coffee, from Brazil — the world’s largest coffee producer and source of about 30% of US coffee imports — effective Aug. 6.

The average price for a pound of coffee in June was $8.13, up from $6.25 at the same time last year, as reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Other than the estimated 66% of American adults who drink coffee every day, some businesses could be impacted by tariffs, like coffee shops, roasters and distributors.

Tokuda and Timmons were joined by Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Maria Salazar (R-Fla.), Sarah McBride (D-Del.), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Pat Fallon (R-Texas), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Ben Cline (R-Va.).

A copy of the letter can be found here.