After weeks of speculation, the U.S. Trade Representative says fees on Chinese-made ships are on the horizon.
Starting in October, the U.S. will charge Chinese-built ships and operators based on cargo volumes. This will not apply to ships arriving at U.S. ports empty or those on shorter trips.
The fee will be $50 per net ton and will increase by $30 each year over the next three years. Leaders at the Ag Transportation Coalition tell AgriPulse the final list of fees is better, but not good enough, warning the cost to ship commodities, like soybeans, could go up.
Related Stories
Nutrition policy shifts may influence retail demand across agriculture.
Weak crop margins and tariff uncertainty are delaying machinery purchases and signaling slower capital investment across U.S. agriculture.
Farm Bureau Economist Dr. Faith Parum explains the role farm safety net programs play in supporting farm finances as growers head into the 2026 planting season.
Corn demand is rising thanks to ethanol expansion, yet year-round E15 remains missing from the Farm Bill—leaving farmers questioning the policy gap.
Bipartisan momentum builds, but final farm policy remains unsettled.
Valley Irrigation’s Darren Siekman explains the advantages of their new pivots for growers managing acreages of up to 60 acres.
