Why It Matters
Toro Co. is lobbying on Section 232 steel and aluminum derivatives tariffs as the Commerce Department requested comments on Aug. 6 on adding 14 derivative articles to the duties.
Derivatives are downstream products made with steel, aluminum or copper. The notice proposes extending Section 232 duties on those metals to the additional articles. It describes a proposal, not a final addition.
By the Numbers
Toro's in-house third-quarter report lists $100,000, signed Nov. 6. The company reported $0 in the second quarter and $0 in the third quarter of 2025, so the amount is up $100,000 on both.
Outside firm Continental Strategy LLC filed $70,000 for the same quarter, up $10,000 from $60,000 in the second quarter. The client's two filings total $170,000. That compares with $60,000 in the second quarter, up $110,000, and $0 in the third quarter of 2025.
Michael Blake Bezruki, Toro's senior manager for government relations, is the only lobbyist on the filing.
Broader Context
The filing's issues text names Section 232 steel and aluminum derivatives tariffs, trade import and export duties, and Section 232 steel derivatives.
A June 1 presidential proclamation, published in the Federal Register on June 4, further adjusted tariff treatment for imported aluminum, steel, copper and derivatives. It said the changes were meant to encourage greater use of U.S. metals in downstream products.
A Congressional Research Service (CRS) report from Sept. 17 says the tariffs changed repeatedly through 2026. It says some business groups argue the tariffs harm U.S. manufacturers, while some U.S. steel and aluminum producers call them critical to boosting domestic production. It gives 2025 imports of $25 billion in steel articles and $18 billion in aluminum, excluding derivatives.
Opponents include the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), Associated Equipment Distributors, the American Clean Power Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Their Feb. 10 letter says the tariffs' scope raises costs, compliance burdens and uncertainty. In a Sept. 16, 2025 letter, a coalition said the expansion covered 407 tariff codes and roughly $240 billion in imports.
The filing also names "CARB SORE," which the research ties to California's small off-road engine (SORE) rules. The Environmental Protection Agency granted California's authorization on Jan. 6, 2025. On Aug. 26, OPEI opposed the waiver as Congress considered a September vote.
On right to repair, which the filing also names, The Repair Association argues consumers and independent shops should have access to parts, tools and repair information. OPEI says current legislation is overly broad and distinguishes repair from modification, which it says can affect safety.
The Bottom Line
Watch whether Commerce finalizes the 14 proposed derivative articles. The Aug. 6 notice describes a proposal only.
Toro's lobbying now runs through both its in-house lobbyist and an outside firm, which filed reports beginning in the first quarter.
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