K A S H R U T . C O M_©

November 19, 2025 from Yeshiva World:

"On Friday, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order that includes, among other items, an exemption to the reciprocal tariffs on “bread…used for religious purposes” (e.g., Matzah) and on the Arba Minim – the plant species used by Jews during the holiday of Sukkos.

"As the overwhelming majority of these products come from Israel and other foreign countries, tariffs would have threatened access and increased costs of religious observance. This accommodation builds upon the precedent of other exemptions to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule for certain religious items and is consistent with the Trump administration’s focus on protecting religious freedom.

"'“Thank you to the Trump administration for once again accommodating religious practices by exempting the Arba Minim and Matzah from reciprocal tariffs and making it easier for Jewish families to celebrate their holidays,” said Rabbi A.D. Motzen, Agudath Israel’s national director of government affairs. “We appreciate that the White House took the matter seriously when we and others brought up these issues and worked with the relevant agencies to find a solution.'"

Several Botanical Ingredients Receive Reciprocal Tariff Exemptions

November 19, 2025 from Nutraceuticals World:

"Per an executive order issued on Nov. 14, several botanical ingredients and products have been placed in Tariff Annex II, exempting them from reciprocal tariffs issued by the Trump Administration earlier this year.

"Many tea and spice commodities previously in Annex III have moved to Annex II, making them fully exempt from the reciprocal tariff regime, including coffee and tea extracts.

Other commodities include saffron, turmeric, cocoa, several mushrooms, ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric. The full list of commodities that were exempted on Nov. 14 can be found here.

Ed. note: the list includes:

• Etrogs (classifiable in subheading 0805.90.01)
• Date palm branches, Myrtus branches or other vegetable material, for religious purposes only (classifiable in subheading 1404.90.90)
• Bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits and similar baked products, nesoi, and puddings, whether or not containing chocolate, fruit, nuts or confectionery, for religious purposes only (classifiable in subheading 1905.90.10). Ed.note: matzah