50% tariffs on tinplate steel will negatively impact U.S. consumers and increase the cost of canned foods made in America.
“The Can Manufacturers Institute supports President Trump’s decision to allow the combination of US Steel and Nippon Steel, but we strongly oppose any action that would raise steel tariffs to 50%.
Doubling the steel tariff will further increase the cost of canned goods at the grocery store. This cost is levied upon millions of American families relying on canned foods picked and packed by U.S. farmers, food producers, and can makers.
A series of unfortunate decisions over the past eight years by domestic tin mill steel producers led to dramatic cuts that have decreased U.S. production of the specialized steel used in can making by 75%.
As a result, domestic can makers and canned food producers now import nearly 80% of tin mill steel from trade allies. Doubling steel tariffs will inflate domestic canned food prices, and it plays into the hands of China and other foreign canned food producers, which are more than happy to undercut American farmers and food producers.
Ultimately, these metal tariffs put our nation’s food security at risk. We are asking President Trump for targeted tariff relief, on tin mill steel and aluminum produced by our allies and used in the production of cans that are made in America.”
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Can Manufacturers Institute Press Contact: Tim Ebner, Vice President of Communications & Marketing, Email: tebner@cancentral.com
Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) is the national trade association of the metal can manufacturing industry and its suppliers in the United States. The can industry accounts for the annual domestic production of approximately 135 billion food, beverage, aerosol and general line cans; employs more than 28,000 people with plants in 33 states, Puerto Rico and American Samoa; and generates about $15.7 billion in direct economic activity.