New Report Published to Help Georgia Businesses and Communities Prepare for Tariff Measures

ATLANTA – Today, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce announced the publication of Tariffs Briefing: April 2025 - New U.S. Tariffs + Potential Georgia Impact, a report written to help Georgia businesses and communities prepare for the new tariff measures announced by the Trump Administration. The measures mark a significant shift in U.S. trade policy– including across-the-board import tariffs and targeted duties on specific goods – with implications for Georgia’s small businesses, manufacturers, ports, construction firms, and agricultural exporters. 

Georgia set new records for international trade activity in 2024, with Georgia ranking 7th in the nation for net exports. Georgia exported approximately $53.1 billion in goods and importing roughly $145.6 billion. Georgia-grown, -made, and -produced goods reached 291 unique global markets. Additionally, Georgia exported around $31 billion in services.

The publication of the report is the latest effort to support the Georgia business community in the quickly evolving global trade landscape. In February, the Georgia Chamber launched its Global Business Subcommittee, to provide insights, coordination, and advocacy for Georgia’s agriculture, business, and industry partners invested in international trade.

A copy of the report, Tariffs Briefing: April 2025 - New U.S. Tariffs + Potential Georgia Impact, is available by clicking here.

Some of the economic impacts to Georgia outline in the report include:  

• New reciprocal tariffs present a challenge for virtually every business as they work to evaluate and potentially restructure supply chains, undermining years of long-term strategic investment.
• In the long term, select tariffs could bring new investment to the state or open additional markets for small businesses, but this hinges on greater global factors that are unpredictable, creating uncertainty for businesses.
• Supply chain networks and key trade-off points, such as Georgia’s coastal and inland ports, may face significant challenges as some consumers and producers attempt to stockpile, and as businesses look to jointly re-organize supply chain structures.
• Tariffs on specific imports, especially metals and manufacturing components, are reported to significantly impact Georgia and U.S. based company’s margins and may push smaller companies out of profitability entirely.
• Key Georgia industry products, such as agricultural exports, may become global targets if retaliatory climates escalate and hold.

The Georgia Chamber recommends our members take a proactive stance in the face of these changes and will continue to advocate for the members of our business community. Despite the headwinds, Georgia’s economy remains dynamic and resilient. By staying informed and adaptable, the state’s business community can mitigate risks and even find growth opportunities in the new trade landscape. 

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Founded in 1911 and incorporated in 1915, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce is the largest business advocacy organization in Georgia, working to protect free enterprise and secure our long-term economic prosperity. The Georgia Chamber represents tens of thousands of members in every corner of the state, with offices in Atlanta, Brunswick, and Tifton. In 2025 the Georgia Chamber launched Georgia|2050, a strategic plan to ensure Georgia remains a beacon of economic opportunity for the next 25 years. For more information visit gachamber.com.