Farmers concerned about impacts of Trump’s tariffs
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - President Donald Trump has addressed that his implemented tariffs will have an impact on farmers, leaving many concerned about what these effects will look like.
Farmers like Dennis Carlson have started feeling the effects of President Trump’s tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico.
“Grain farmers are catching it both ways,” said Carlson. “Their costs are going through the roof. At the same time, what we sell is just getting hammered.”
Daryl Lies, president of the North Dakota Farm Bureau, said he’s gotten questions about how impactful retaliatory tariffs from other countries will be to our agriculture.
China implemented additional 10% to 15% tariffs on products like wheat, corn and soybeans and the European Union implemented tariffs on soybeans and almonds.
He said he believes that countries like China are placing lower retaliatory tariffs on the items they plan to purchase more of.
“Corn is in the 15%, soybeans are in the 10%,” said Lies. “To me, that’s a signaling of what they plan on buying from us.
In his past term, President Trump set up payment programs for farmers when he imposed tariffs on China. These funds were meant to compensate farmers affected.
“We at NDFB, we understand there’s maneuvering, right,” said Lies. “You gotta play power to be able to make some changes. We hope it’s swift, we hope it’s not drug out. Obviously, the longer it gets drug out the more possible harm that could be out there.”
However, there has been no mention of implementing anything similar.
“Obviously, we don’t want drugs coming in from Mexico or Canada, and if we gotta have some tariffs and some controls, I guess we get that as American citizens,” said Carlson. “But on the other hand, how is it fair to balance that cost on our backs?”
As for federal cuts having an impact on payments and loans from the USDA, Lies said that the assistance package that was passed in December will be rolling out in the next few weeks.
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