After investigation, USA confirms 25% tariff on products from Brazil Agribusiness products from Rio Grande do Sul that totaled US$541 million in exports to the United States in 2025 will be subject to the new 25% surcharge announced by the North American government. The value represents 70.4% of everything that the Rio Grande do Sul agribusiness sold to the country in the period, according to a survey released by the Agriculture Federation of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Farsul). Among the items most exposed to the measure are tobacco, sawn pine wood, leather shoes and beef tallow. Find out more below. ? Access the g1 RS channel on WhatsApp Considering all sectors of the economy, Rio Grande do Sul's exposure is even greater. The survey shows that 79% of Gaucho exports destined for the United States, equivalent to US$ 1.3 billion, are on the list of products subject to the new tariff. The charge was defined in the final action of the investigation conducted by the United States under Section 301 and will be valid for Brazilian products entering the country from July 22, 2026, with exceptions for items included in specific lists. Among the main products from Rio Grande do Sul that were exempt from the surcharge are pig iron, certain wood products, aluminum hydroxide, cattle hides, fish, organic honey, unflavored soluble coffee, iron and steel scrap and some pharmaceutical products. See products that were exempt and those that will be impacted. Impact greater than the national average Cargo transport operation in port Bruno Leão/ Sedecti According to the analysis, the proportional impact for Rio Grande do Sul is significantly greater than the national average. According to Farsul's calculation, based on the list released by the USTR, while 38% of Brazilian exports to the USA are subject to the surcharge, in the State the percentage reaches 79%. In agribusiness, the difference is also significant: 32.7% of Brazilian exports in the sector are covered by the measure, compared to 70.4% of sales in Rio Grande do Sul. The study attributes this greater exposure to the profile of the State's exports, which includes products considered sensitive to tariffs, such as tobacco, wood, leather shoes and beef tallow. In Rio Grande do Sul's agribusiness, the products with the highest potentially impacted values ??are: unmanufactured tobacco of the Virginia variety, with US$122 million exported to the USA in 2025; pine lumber ($81 million); leather shoes ($62 million); unmanufactured tobacco of the Burley variety ($49 million); beef tallow ($33 million). Export sectors seek alternatives Some wooden products were exempt from the measure. However, others are included among the items subject to the tariff, according to Farsul's survey. In this chain, the United States is the main destination for exports from Rio Grande do Sul. The sector employs around 15 thousand workers directly and is now looking for strategies to get through the period of uncertainty. According to the president of Sindimadeira, Leonardo De Zorzi, the orientation is to maintain dialogue with customers and avoid hasty decisions until the scenario is defined: "Tighten your belts, try to have a very frank and open conversation with the market in general, with customers, try to postpone any type of more radical decision, not disconnect from the market in any way, try to find some alternatives to avoid any type of job loss", says Zorzi. In the tobacco sector, the impact could be even more significant. According to representatives of the production chain, the segment is still feeling the effects of the first tariff, in 2025, and is working with the prospect that the reduction in exports to the United States could go from 30% to 50% by the end of this year. Tobacco export sector Reproduction/ RBS TV In addition to the drop in sales, companies are facing difficulties in redirecting production. This is because tobacco sold to the United States is grown and processed according to specifications determined by North American buyers. According to Sinditabaco, part of the volume purchased from producers is already reserved for that market, which increases dependence on the decisions that will be made by American customers. A similar situation is experienced by the footwear industry. The United States is the main international destination for shoes produced in Rio Grande do Sul and many orders are developed specifically for this market. According to Abicalçados, products made to the specifications of American importers cannot be easily redirected to other countries nor absorbed by the domestic market. Losses and negotiation The concern also affects the industry in Rio Grande do Sul more broadly. Despite the list of products that were left out of the new charge, the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Fiergs) estimates that practically half of the items exported by the State to the United States will be affected. Farsul calculates that, if the surcharge applies to the entire value of products classified as affected, the potential tariff impact would reach US$325 million for total exports from Rio Grande do Sul. Considering only Rio Grande do Sul's agribusiness, this amount would be US$135 million. However, Farsul emphasizes that this estimate does not necessarily represent a direct loss, as the effects can occur in different ways, such as reduction in margins, pass-through of costs, drop in sales or loss of space in the American market. For Fiergs, the lack of definition regarding the next steps has caused business to stop and created another obstacle for companies in Rio Grande do Sul. The entity advocates that the Brazilian government intensify negotiations with the North American authorities in an attempt to reverse the measure and expand the list of products exempt from the surcharge. Given the scenario, Fiergs articulates the arrival of the acting Finance Minister, Dario Durig