Statement on Tariffs from Margie A.S. Lehrman, CEO, ACSA
On behalf of our community of more than 3,000 independent craft distilleries, the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) remains deeply concerned about the ongoing and expanding number of trade disputes, now with the EU, U.K., Canada, and Mexico. Our spirits have no connection to the ongoing trade disputes over steel and aluminum, yet our small business community—already struggling in a challenging marketplace—is being used as leverage.
Craft spirits exports were ravaged by the trade wars in Trump’s first term, especially among small distillers. They’ve seen very little recovery in the years since, and now that business is being ground down even further.
The current events four years later are both unfair and unjust, and we urge the Administration to advocate for a multilateral agreement that ensures the free trade of distilled spirits and begins to help America’s small businesses, which are the backbone of the U.S. economy.
Our industry cannot afford another blow to our already struggling small businesses.
