Issued by the J.O. Alvarez, Inc. Compliance Team
Effective Dates: November 13–14, 2025

The J.O. Alvarez, Inc. Compliance Team would like to share an important update regarding recent tariff changes announced and implemented by the U.S. government. These updates may affect importers of food and agricultural products, depending on classification.

Two separate developments occurred:

1. A formal tariff annex updating certain provisions of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS)

2. Public announcements indicating reductions or exemptions on certain food tariffs

Below is a clear, factual summary of both items.

1. HTSUS Annex Effective November 13, 2025

On November 13, 2025, a new annex to the HTSUS took effect. The annex includes the following changes:

a. A new tariff heading was created

• HTSUS 9903.02.78 was added.

b. U.S. Note 2 to Subchapter III was revised

The note that governs “additional duties” under Executive Order 14257 was updated.
The revisions:

• Split Note 2(v)(iii) into two parts:

  • (v)(iii)(a): defines when additional duties apply

  • (v)(iii)(b): lists HTS codes that are excluded from these additional duties

• Updated several Chapter 99 headings so they align with the new structure and introduction of 9903.02.78.

c. Annex II provides an official exclusion list

This list contains HTS subheadings that do not pay the additional duties referenced under Executive Order 14257.
Importers should verify whether their merchandise falls within these specific HTS codes.

d. Effective date

These updates apply to goods entered for consumption on or after November 13, 2025 (12:01 a.m. ET).

2. Food Tariff Announcements Reported on November 14, 2025

On November 14, major news outlets reported that the administration announced tariff reductions or exemptions for certain food imports, including:

• Beef

• Tomatoes

• Coffee

• Bananas

These announcements appear to be part of broader efforts to address rising food prices.

Important note:
These public announcements are separate from the formal annex. Final, binding changes will appear only in:

• The HTSUS

• Federal Register notices

• CBP or USTR implementation guidance

Importers should continue monitoring for official government updates.

3. What Importers Need to Review

a. Check your product’s HTS classification

Duty treatment now depends heavily on how a product is classified. Importers should confirm:

• Whether their product appears on the Annex II exclusion list, and

• Whether their product is referenced in the food tariff adjustments reported on November 14.

b. Other duty programs remain unchanged

These updates do not modify:

• Antidumping duties

• Countervailing duties

• Section 232 duties

• Section 301 duties

Unless separately revised, these programs continue to apply.

c. Classification accuracy is essential

Small differences—such as fresh vs. frozen, whole vs. processed—can result in completely different duty outcomes.

Summary

Between November 13 and 14, 2025, the U.S. government introduced tariff updates that may impact importers of food and agricultural products:

1. A new HTSUS annex formally updated certain Chapter 99 duties and created new exclusions.

2. The administration publicly announced tariff reductions or exemptions for selected food imports.

The J.O. Alvarez, Inc. Compliance Team will continue monitoring all official publications and will provide further updates as needed to ensure our clients remain fully informed of any changes.