The Tax on Mother’s Day Flowers

Bryan Riley / April 29, 2011

With Mother’s Day around the corner, you better look out. It’s going to cost more than usual to send your mom a bouquet of flowers this year.

Earlier this year, Congress allowed the Andean Trade Preference and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA) to expire. As a result:

• U.S. flower importers face higher prices. Taxes on flowers imported from Colombia, which provides 70 percent of all cut flowers sold in the United States, are now at the highest rate in 18 years.
• There are fewer U.S. jobs in industries that rely on imported flowers. According to Christine Boldt, executive vice president of the Association of Floral Importers of Florida: (more…)