Trade & Policy

Federal Appeals Court Reinstates 10% Tariff on Spice Importer Burlap & Barrel After Lower Court Victory

By DishBloom Kitchen·June 30, 2026· Source: JURIST / NBC News / Liberty Justice Center

A U.S. federal appeals court issued a stay in June 2026, keeping Trump's 10% global import surcharge in place for spice company Burlap & Barrel and two other plaintiffs, even after the Court of International Trade had ruled the tariff unlawful in May. The lower trade court had found in a 2-1 decision that the surcharge — imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — exceeded presidential authority, granting a permanent injunction to the small New York-based spice importer that sources single-origin spices from over 22 countries. The appeals court signaled the government was likely to succeed on the merits and kept the tariff in force while the appeal proceeds. The ongoing legal battle has major implications for the broader U.S. spice import industry, since the U.S. imports over 95% of its spice consumption and any tariff changes directly affect landed costs for food brands nationwide.

🍳 Inspired to cook?

Single-Origin Black Pepper and Cinnamon Spiced Lamb Chops — celebrating the globally sourced spices at the heart of the Burlap & Barrel lawsuit, using freshly cracked single-origin black pepper from Vietnam and true cinnamon from Sri Lanka as a dry rub

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tariffsspice importsBurlap and BarrelUS trade lawsupply chain