One of Europe’s biggest farm machinery firms halts US exports over ‘hidden’ tariffs

Firms such as Krone, whose products include combine harvesters, now have to certify the origin, weight and value of any steel in their products right down to nuts and bolts. Photograph: Krone

One of Europe’s biggest farm machinery companies, Krone, has been forced to pause exports of large equipment to the US because of “alarming” and little-known new tariffs that are hitting hundreds of products from knitting needles and hairdryers to combine harvesters.

Among the products on the steel derivatives list drawn up in consultation with US manufacturers, Donald Trump is taxing 407 specific products ranging from tiny embroidery stilettos to cooker hoods, barbecues, fridges, freezers, dishwashers, hair curling tongs, grills, elevators, bridge and railway structures, agriculture equipment and wind turbines.