- U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports dropped from 145% to 30% for 90 days under the new agreement.
- Georgia pecan growers, part of a billion-dollar crop industry, are still dealing with higher operational costs.
- Watch the video to see how the uncertainty hits close to home.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Under the new agreement, U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports drop from 145% to 30% for at least 90 days. China is cutting theirs from 125% to 10%. It's a bigger rollback than expected—and U.S. markets surged in response.
But for Georgia farmers still reeling from years of tariff tensions, the real worry isn't export losses anymore—it's staying afloat in an unpredictable market.
"There's a lot of stated federal policies that may or may not be enacted… and they could have really big consequences."
Heath says for industries like agriculture, there's no such thing as flipping a switch. Disruptions take years to rebuild from, especially when decisions are made during uncertainty.
"While the light's off, people restructure their businesses—and when you try to turn it back on, they may say, 'Sorry, we're no longer there.'"
The impact hits home. In Georgia, where pecans are a billion-dollar crop, growers are still paying higher costs for supplies—and just because tariffs are being slashed for a period of time, doesn't mean they're our of the woods just yet.
"So there will be some secondary effects. The question is, you know, are these secondary effects worth it? And I'm afraid that the the policy changes are happening way too fast for the economy to adjust."
At Farmer Brown's Market in Valdosta though, co-owner John Holten says summer sales spike thanks to local produce, and they're optimistic about the current season.
"Our May, June and July months? You can't walk in this building… it's so busy. But that's because all the local stuff is here."
So while Washington resets policy, farmers here in Lowndes are still waiting for true stability. In Valdosta, I'm Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
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