Washington: US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation easing tariffs on a range of agricultural and industrial equipment while tightening incentives for manufacturers to use American-made steel, aluminium and copper, the White House said.
The move adjusts existing Section 232 tariffs that the administration says are designed to protect national security and strengthen domestic metal industries.
Under the proclamation, tariffs on agricultural equipment such as combines and harvesters, along with certain other equipment, will be reduced from 25 per cent to 15 per cent until December 31, 2027. The administration said the temporary relief is intended to support sectors that rely heavily on such machinery while encouraging investment in US manufacturing.
The measure also expands the list of industrial products eligible for the reduced 15 per cent tariff rate. Mobile industrial equipment, including bulldozers and forklifts, imported from countries covered by trade agreements will now qualify for the lower duty.
In a fact sheet released by the White House, the administration said the proclamation was aimed at “more effectively address national security threats, spur investment in American agriculture, housing, and manufacturing, and facilitate US production of related products.”
Trump also lowered the threshold for imported products to qualify for preferential treatment based on US metal content. Products will now qualify if at least 85 per cent of their steel, aluminium or copper content by weight is produced in the United States, down from the previous 95 per cent requirement. The White House said the change would encourage greater use of American-produced metals in downstream manufacturing.
The proclamation signed by President Donald Trump on Jun 1 further adds aluminium lithographic plates and steel racks to the list of derivative products subject to tariffs. The administration argued that the move would prevent circumvention of existing tariff rules and preserve the effectiveness of measures imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.
The tariff changes are intended to support domestic industries while maintaining protections for strategic sectors, the White House said. The administration said American farmers rely on agricultural equipment to produce food, construction equipment is essential for reindustrialisation efforts, and material-handling machinery supports factory operations and industrial logistics.
The White House also highlighted what it described as a resurgence in domestic metal production. It said the United States became the world’s third-largest steel producer in 2025 and that more than four million tonnes of new crude steelmaking capacity are expected to come online over the next two years. New facilities and investments have been announced in states including West Virginia, Arkansas and South Carolina.
The administration pointed to recent announcements in the aluminium and copper sectors as evidence that tariff policies are encouraging domestic investment. It cited a joint venture between Century Aluminum and Emirates Global Aluminum to build a new aluminium smelter in Oklahoma, as well as expansion projects involving Highland Copper, Ivanhoe Electric, Rio Tinto and Wieland.
(IANS)
