Toasts Not Tariffs Coalition Statement on ‘Liberation Day’ Announcement

The Toasts Not Tariffs Coalition—which includes 55 organizations representing the entire three-tier chain of the U.S. alcohol industry, including the American Craft Spirits Association—has released the following statement in response to President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs announced on April 2:

“As part of the administration’s America First trade policy, we seek President Trump’s leadership to restore fair trade, resulting in reciprocal, tariff-free trade with our key spirits and wine trading partners. This will lead to an increase in U.S. wine and spirits exports and investments, and U.S. job growth.

“These trade disputes continue to unfairly harm our industry, including Canada’s action to take American-made wine and spirits products of their shelves. The removal of Canada’s tariffs and the return of these products to shelves across Canada is a critical step in restoring fair and reciprocal trade.

“The distilled spirits and wine sectors stand as a model of mutually beneficial trade, and the livelihoods of those working within them depend heavily on international trade. Most U.S. wine exports go to countries with low or zero import duties. More than 85% of U.S. spirits exports go to countries that have eliminated tariffs, and nearly 100% of spirits imported are from those countries. Continued access to global markets creates jobs, supporting rural and urban communities.

“The tariffs and ongoing trade disputes pose significant threats to U.S. hospitality businesses, including restaurants, bars, taverns, small package stores and grocery outlets, and their employees. Farmers growing crops on more than 1 million acres of farmland in the U.S., as well as the transportation, distribution, bottling, packaging, marketing, and finance sectors will also be negatively impacted. “