April 2025 Update on Tariffs, Trade Wars, and Your Grocery Bill

We’ve talked before about what tariffs are and why they matter more than people think—especially when it comes to the food on your table. If you missed that breakdown, you can catch up here.

 

Now we’re into Part 2. Not just the next chapter, but a whole new phase in this growing trade war.

 

In the last few weeks, things have shifted fast. Reciprocal tariffs made headlines, got rolled out, and just as quickly were paused. But make no mistake—this isn’t over. If anything, the last few weeks have proven just how vulnerable the global supply chain really is.

 

Reciprocal Tariffs: What They Are and What They Mean

 

On April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump made headlines when he announced reciprocal tariffs.

 

Reciprocal tariffs are exactly what they sound like: if another country imposes tariffs on our exports, we’ll do the same to their imports.

 

The goal of reciprocal tariffs was simple: level the field and send a message that we’re done getting the short end of the stick.

 

Nowhere is that imbalance clearer than in the beef industry.

 

Some countries, like Australia, can sell billions worth of beef here in the U.S. But when we try to export our beef to them? They block us with sky-high tariffs and non-scientific regulations that have nothing to do with food safety and everything to do with protecting their own markets.

 

Here are a few examples of how other countries undermine the U.S. beef supply:

 

- Australia has sold over $29 billion in beef to American consumers. Meanwhile, the U.S. has not been allowed to export even $1 of fresh beef to Australia.

- Vietnam slaps a 30% tariff on U.S. beef—but for Australian beef? No tariff at all.

- Thailand hits American beef with a 50% tariff.

- And then there’s Brazil and Paraguay—countries with documented histories of foot-and-mouth disease, a serious and highly contagious virus that affects livestock. Despite the risks to American herds, these countries are still allowed to export their beef into the U.S. under the Biden administration’s policies. That matters because we’re not just talking about unfairness—we’re talking about potential threats to the safety and health of our own food supply.

 

These are just a few examples that show how American goods remain locked out, while other nations get to enjoy easy access to our market.

 

Where the U.S. Stands With Tariffs Now

 

Within a week of implementing these reciprocal tariffs, they were paused by President Trump. Some called it strategy. Others called it backpedaling. Either way, it sent a message: this isn’t over, it’s just on hold.

 

And while headlines focused on what didn’t happen, here’s what did:

 

Tariffs are still very much in effect.

 

A 10% base tariff quietly took effect while everyone else focused on the reciprocal plan. And these 10% tariffs are still standing. They apply to nearly every country not covered by a trade agreement like USMCA, and it’s already reshaping the global supply chain.

 

Countries subject to these 10% tariffs include:

 

- China

- The European Union

- Japan

- Brazil

- Australia

- Thailand

- Vietnam

- And many others

 

What About Mexico and Canada?

 

Last time we covered tariffs, the main concern was regarding imports from Mexico and Canada.

 

A White House official confirmed that Mexico and Canada will not face the 10% base tariff—as long as their goods comply with the terms of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

 

In other words, if their exports meet the rules and requirements under the trade pact, they stay tariff-free. But if they don’t, or if they fall under sector-specific tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, they could still be subject to duties as high as 25%.

 

So while NAFTA’s successor provides some insulation, it doesn’t cover everything. And that gray area matters—especially for U.S. businesses relying on cross-border materials, and for families’ cost of living.

 

The U.S. and China: A Trade War That’s Heating Back Up

 

Let’s talk about what’s really going on between the U.S. and China—because it’s more than just tariffs.

 

For years, China has maintained high barriers on American goods. We’re talking high tariffs, quotas, licensing red tape, and a whole lot of barriers that tip the scales in their favor.

 

Enter the Trump administration’s 2025 plan: raise tariffs to hit back and pressure China into changing its trade behavior to open up its markets to U.S. exports. So the U.S. implemented 104% tariffs on Chinese goods.

 

But China didn’t fold. Instead, it fired back. On April 9, China announced a new round of retaliatory tariffs—some as high as 84% on U.S. goods.

 

That move sparked an immediate response from President Trump, who raised U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods again—this time to 125%, effective immediately.

 

In a post on social media, he wrote:

 

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately… The days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable.”

 

So, where does that leave us?

 

Right in the middle of a trade war. And the global supply chain is sure to soon feel the shockwaves.

 

Prices Aren’t Going Up—They Already Are

 

We’re already seeing the squeeze. Imports are slowing down, retailers are pulling out, and distributors are scrambling to line up new supply as prices tick upward.

 

The craziest part? A lot of this isn’t even from tariffs taking effect—it’s from the fear that they might. That fear sends shockwaves. It makes markets stall, drives up prices, and leaves families stuck with fewer options and bigger bills.

 

While the news cycles spin around who tweeted what and what might happen next, here’s what is happening: everything is getting more expensive—and that includes the cost of food. And if this latest shakeup proves anything, it’s that the system is overdue for a reset.

 

At Good Ranchers, We’re Tariff-Proof

 

We started Good Ranchers because American ranchers have been getting squeezed by foreign imports for years—long before tariffs made headlines. And most people don’t even realize it.

 

Foreign meat can be labeled "Product of USA," even if it just passed through a plant here. They don’t realize that our own cattle producers are being edged out of their own market. And they don’t realize that what’s at stake isn’t just price—it’s independence, transparency, and the future of American farming.

 

At Good Ranchers, we’re not just selling meat. We’re standing up for the people who raise it—and for the families who want to know what they’re feeding their kids.

 

We don’t import meat. We source every cut from right here in the U.S.—from ranchers who’ve spent generations honing their craft. Not only is our product unaffected by tariffs, but our prices are stable. While other companies are scrambling to adjust to new tariffs and global chaos, our prices stay steady. Our supply stays strong, and our mission remains clear: to connect the American family to the American farm.

 

Because lots of companies can put meat in a box. But at Good Ranchers, we’re about a whole lot more.

 

If that’s a mission you believe in, then we’d be proud to have a seat at your table.