Society of American Florists presses for flower tariff relief after executive order

The Society of American Florists is working to secure tariff relief for the floral industry by providing the U.S. trade representative and the Department of Commerce with data showing how certain imported flowers, bulbs and floral cuttings are essential to meeting U.S. consumer demand.

SAF’s effort follows a Sept. 5 executive order by President Donald Trump that revised the list of products eligible for tariff exemptions based on their limited production in the U.S. Among the nearly 100 pages of updates were several key flower varieties — including roses, carnations, chrysanthemums and alstroemeria,  as well as dormant bulbs and plant cuttings — opening the door for potential duty-free treatment at the negotiating table, the organization said.

SAF Senior Lobbyist Joe Bischoff, Ph.D., called the move an “encouraging” sign for imported cut flowers and some inputs used by American flower farms.

“This bodes well for importers and US growers alike,” Bischoff said, noting that foreign officials “should leverage the information at the negotiation table.”

Roses from Ecuador previously entered the U.S. duty-free under the Generalized System of Preferences, which expired in 2020, prompting a 6.8% tariff on Ecuadorian roses. SAF has since advocated for renewal of the GSP, but the issue has struggled to gain traction in Congress due to political headwinds around trade legislation.

According to Bischoff, the executive order could create a new path forward for Ecuador to use the order’s framework to request duty-free treatment for roses at the negotiating table.

Likewise, officials from Colombia — whose flowers have entered duty-free since 2012 under the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement — and from other countries can leverage the executive order to push for exemptions on other varieties produced in limited quantities in the U.S.

U.S. floral professionals can also urge their representatives to support tariff relief using SAF’s new customizable letter template. (Editor's note: Clicking this link will download a Word document called "Updated Tariff Letter" to your computer.) The template makes it quick and easy for businesses across the floral industry to share their stories and amplify the industry’s voice in Washington.

For florists and suppliers seeking to better understand tariff impacts, SAF offers a comprehensive package of resources to help businesses navigate rates, plan for global supply chain shifts and manage costs.