As Grocery Angst Surges, Trump Mulls Pullback Of Tariffs On Food Imports
The administration is said to be considering tariff exemptions on beef, citrus, and “things we don’t grow here,” such as coffee, bananas, and other fruits. Plus: SNAP recipients are still struggling; a USDA employee who warned about the effects of missed SNAP payments is being fired; and more.
The New York Times:
Trump Officials Prepare Tariff Exemptions, Seeking To Lower Food Prices
The Trump administration is preparing broad exemptions to certain tariffs in an effort to ease elevated food prices that have provoked anxiety for American consumers, according to three people briefed on the actions. The change would apply to certain reciprocal tariffs the president announced in April, including on products coming from countries that have not struck trade deals with the administration, the people said, discussing a pending announcement on the condition of anonymity. (Swanson, Haberman and Pager, 11/13)
In related news about SNAP benefits and nutrition —
The New York Times:
The Shutdown Is Over. For Many SNAP Recipients, The Scars Remain.
When a little more than half of her monthly food stamp benefit came through on Tuesday, Deana Pearson headed to the grocery store and spent all $172 of it. She bought eggs, cheese, meat, sugar and produce. For two weeks, Ms. Pearson, 61, of Chouteau, Okla., had been forced to scrimp. Her balance through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps about 42 million low-income people buy groceries every month, had shrunk to $1.17, she said. That led Ms. Pearson to visit a local food bank. Some of the food there was moldy, she said, but at least it was free. (Fortin, Adelson, Keenan, Morales and Rao, 11/14)
The Washington Post:
Trump Administration Prepares To Fire Worker For TV Interview About SNAP
The Agriculture Department is preparing to fire an employee in the division that handles food benefits after she publicly warned that the shutdown could have negative impacts on the millions of Americans who rely on the federal government to put food on the table, according to documentation reviewed by The Washington Post. (Alfaro and Natanson, 11/13)
Bloomberg:
Trump Administration Considers Bringing Back The Food Pyramid
President Donald Trump’s administration is considering bringing back the food pyramid when it updates the nation’s dietary guidelines later this year, according to people familiar with the discussions. The new graphic’s exact form is still being discussed, according to the people, who aren’t authorized to speak publicly about ongoing discussions. The visual is expected to emphasize protein, the people said, as well as whole foods, according to one of them. (Peterson, 11/13)
More news from the Trump administration —
The Hill:
Vaccine Advisory Panel Considers Hepatitis B Delay
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s panel of federal vaccine advisors is set to discuss and potentially vote on changing the hepatitis B vaccine schedule for infants when they next meet on Dec. 4. According to a Federal Register notice, the agenda for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will include “discussions on vaccine safety, the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule, and hepatitis B vaccines.” Recommendation votes may be scheduled for hepatitis B vaccines, the notice stated. (Weixel, 11/13)
KFF Health News:
Conflicting Advice On Covid Shots Likely To Ding Already Low Vaccine Rates, Experts Warn
More than three-quarters of American adults didn’t get a covid shot last season, a figure that health care experts warn could rise this year amid new U.S. government recommendations. The covid vaccine was initially popular. About 75% of Americans had received at least one dose of the first versions of the vaccine by early 2022, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows. But only about 23% of American adults got a covid shot during the 2024-25 virus season, well below the 47% of American adults who got a flu shot. The vaccination rates for flu, measles, and tetanus are also going down. (Reese, 11/14)
KFF Health News:
Listen: New Federal Guidelines Could Weaken Consumer Protections Against Medical Debt
More than 100 million Americans are estimated to have health care debt. In response, more than a dozen states have instituted laws to keep these unpaid bills off consumer credit reports. The Trump administration has been chipping away at these protections. (Levey, 11/14)
