A group of Democratic legislators from Texas has asked the United States Department of Commerce to reestablish the Mexican Tomato Suspension Agreement (TSA). According to them, this measure aims to prevent an economic and supply crisis that would especially impact Southern Texas.
On August 15, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) led Texas House Democrats in a letter urging U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to reverse his decision to end the 2019 Tomato Suspension Agreement and to impose a 17.09% tariff on tomatoes imported from Mexico, despite bipartisan requests from federal and state officials.
This decision will have significant economic repercussions, including higher prices for consumers, fewer tomato varieties, and adverse effects on U.S. growers who depend on imports during the winter to meet demand. It will also hurt U.S. transportation, warehousing, wholesale, and retail jobs.
"We write to express our profound concern and disappointment over your decision to terminate the Tomato Suspension Agreement (TSA) and to impose a 17.09% tariff on imported Mexican tomatoes. For nearly three decades, the TSA has underpinned a framework that supported tens of thousands of American jobs – especially in Texas – ensured fair pricing, and upheld minimum quality standards for consumers. Despite bipartisan appeals from federal and state officials, including Governor Abbott, and a near-unanimous resolution by the Texas legislature urging you to preserve the TSA, your decision has instead placed disproportionate weight on the interests of one state over the well-being of consumers and businesses across the country," the lawmakers wrote.
"The decision to abandon the TSA has seriously affected Texas families and businesses. The import of Mexican tomatoes contributes more than $8 billion to the U.S. economy and supports 50,000 jobs, including thousands in Texas. The TSA is essential to the financial viability of hundreds of American businesses, including over 150 in Texas. A group of organizations that represent the business community, from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the Corn Refiners Association to the Pork Producers Association, have urged you to maintain the TSA," the lawmakers continued.
"This policy shift is particularly perplexing given the TSA's strong record of enforcement and effectiveness. The Department of Commerce and USDA rigorously administered the agreement, issuing over 320 audit questionnaires, reviewing 14,000 certifications, and conducting detailed administrative reviews. USDA inspections since April 2020 have had a 99.3% pass rate. As recently as December 2024, Commerce found no evidence of dumping or price suppression by Mexican growers. We strongly urge you to reengage in good-faith negotiations and work toward a renewed agreement that preserves the economic, agricultural, and consumer benefits that the TSA has long provided," the lawmakers concluded.
On April 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it planned to withdraw from the Tomato Suspension Agreement, which sets a minimum price and other requirements for imported tomatoes. The tomato suspension agreement was first negotiated in 1996 and has been revised several times since then, most recently in 2019.
In June 2025, the Texas Legislature passed a bipartisan resolution, which Governor Abbott signed, urging the U.S. Department of Commerce to uphold the Tomato Suspension Agreement.
On July 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced it had ended the Tomato Suspension Agreement, leading to the implementation of a 17.09% tariff on most tomatoes imported from Mexico.
You can read the complete letter here
