WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD-TV) — The Supreme Court sounded wary of using the emergency-powers law (IEEPA) to levy broad tariffs, pressing whether Congress ever authorized the White House to tax imports at scale.
Reports from the chamber on Wednesday described bipartisan skepticism and repeated references to Congressional tariff authority, alongside questions about potential refunds of roughly $90 billion already collected. A ruling could narrow or reshape unilateral tariff tools used since 2025.
In agriculture, the case intersects with the administration’s leverage strategy: tariffs have been wielded to push partners to the bargaining table—from China’s Phase One purchases to current high-stakes talks with Brazil and India. Analysts note that while tariffs can force negotiations, they also invite retaliation and raise costs on steel, equipment, chemicals, and other farm inputs. If the Court curbs IEEPA tariffs, the White House may still reach for other trade statutes, but the scope and speed could change.
Near-term, growers face policy uncertainty as markets handicap outcomes and partners watch for signals. Negotiations with India continue amid steep U.S. duties; Brazil talks are active as tariffs ripple through beef and other flows; and China remains a touchstone for how tariff pressure translates into concessions. The decision, expected in 2026, will shape input costs, export access, and the playbook for future trade deals.
Farm-Level Takeaway: The Court may limit emergency tariff powers, complicating a key bargaining tool; ag could see shifts in input costs and export dynamics as China, Brazil, and India talks evolve.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Expert
As the government shutdown pushes the farm economy closer to the brink, Sens. Grassley and Ernst of Iowa are raising their voices for agriculture.
October 09, 2025 11:50 AM
·
October 09, 2025 11:36 AM
·
U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) joined us on Wednesday’s Market Day Report to share why Ames is uniquely positioned to support expanded USDA operations.
October 08, 2025 12:47 PM
·
Iowa land values dropped 3% year-over-year. Sen. Chuck Grassley said this discomforting pattern is a harbinger of crisis for farmers, as seen in the 1980s.
October 08, 2025 12:37 PM
·
Jed Bower, the incoming president of the National Corn Growers Association, joined us for his sector’s perspective on the ongoing government shutdown.
October 08, 2025 11:41 AM
·
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last week said an announcement would be made on Tuesday. However, that self-imposed deadline has now passed.
October 08, 2025 11:19 AM
·
Plan for a cooler global trade market in 2026 with tighter margins on exports, potential rate shifts, and premiums for reliable deliveries into Asian and African growth markets.
October 07, 2025 03:24 PM
·
George Baird, with the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA), joins us with updates on how this year’s rice harvest is shaping up.
October 07, 2025 03:12 PM
·
RFD-TV Farm Legal and Tax Expert Roger McEowen with the Washburn School of Law dives into a “potpourri” of ag tax and law-related issues in his latest
Firm to Farm blog post.
October 07, 2025 02:56 PM
·
