AFFI Urges Stronger Trade Policy for Frozen Food
The American Frozen Food Institute is calling on the administration to strengthen trade protections as USTR develops its 2027 National Trade Estimate Report.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in International Trade
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The American Frozen Food Institute urged the administration to strengthen trade policy for the U.S. frozen food sector, including verification of country-of-origin claims and targeted duty-free treatment for certain foods. The call comes as the U.S. Trade Representative develops its 2027 National Trade Estimate Report.
Why it matters
The frozen food industry supports roughly 670,000 American jobs and contributes more than $11 billion annually in taxes, so trade rules affecting its exports and imports carry broad economic weight. Targeted relief is sought for foods not grown in the U.S. and for foods where domestic supply falls well short of demand.
The American Frozen Food Institute reports the industry supports about 670,000 U.S. jobs and contributes more than $11 billion in annual taxes, with AFFI members exporting over $2.5 billion in products each year. The figures are industry-reported, and the stub gives no prior-year baseline to show whether these totals are rising or falling.
The players
American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI)
A trade association representing the U.S. frozen food industry that advocates on trade, tax, and regulatory policy on behalf of its members.
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
The federal office responsible for developing U.S. trade policy and publishing the annual National Trade Estimate Report on foreign trade barriers.
The details
AFFI is asking the administration to verify country-of-origin claims more rigorously and to grant certain foods relief from additional Section 301 tariffs. Frozen food is served in American homes, school cafeterias, hospitals, and military dining halls, and the group notes freezing preserves food, extends shelf life, and reduces waste.
Timeline
2027: USTR's National Trade Estimate Report is under development.
Market Landscape
AFFI's request for relief from additional Section 301 tariffs ties frozen food policy to a tariff regime that has applied to a range of imports since the early 2018 trade actions. The push for targeted exemptions reflects a broader industry effort to carve out food products from tariffs that were designed with manufactured goods in mind.
If trade policy changes raise or lower tariffs on imported frozen foods, grocery prices and product availability in American stores could shift over time. Targeted duty-free treatment for foods the U.S. cannot supply in sufficient quantity would matter most to households that rely on those products.
The takeaway
Trade policy decisions on frozen food affect the price and supply of products served in homes, schools, hospitals, and military dining halls. Readers can follow USTR's 2027 National Trade Estimate Report to see whether AFFI's proposals are addressed.
What happens next
USTR is developing its 2027 National Trade Estimate Report, which will set out the trade barriers it identifies for the year ahead.
Further reading
Track more coverage of International Trade to see how tariff and export policy shapes food sectors like frozen goods.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Refrigeratedfrozenfood.
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