Ohio farmers face uncertainty amid Trump tariffs
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios
The nation's breadbasket is feeling the pressure as new tariffs on our country's largest trade partners trigger retaliation, leaving farmers worried about their livelihoods.
Why it matters: Midwest states like Ohio heavily rely on agriculture — especially soy, corn, pork, dairy and wheat — and escalating trade tensions could have serious economic consequences for farmers and rural communities.
Catch up quick: On Tuesday morning, the Trump administration imposed 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and an additional 10% on goods from China, after announcing and delaying them last month.
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick already suggested the U.S. might pull back on the tariffs with a compromise.
Zoom in: Ohio farmers are gearing up for what they hope isn't a repeat of 2018.
- Soybeans are Ohio's top-produced crop. When Trump-imposed tariffs on China launched a trade war in 2018, soybeans were the "prime casualty," per the American Soybean Association.
- Their value still hasn't recovered, the association noted yesterday in a statement criticizing the tariffs.
What they're saying: "We are concerned that tariffs can lead to retaliation against U.S. agricultural exports. This can result in restricted markets and lower prices for farmers," Ohio Farm Bureau spokesperson Ty Higgins tells Axios.
- Following a drought and "a nearly 30% drop in farm income over the past three years, more uncertainty is not helpful."
- Higgins says 20% of farm income comes from export markets.
Plus: There are also concerns around rising prices for imported goods that farmers need to run their operations.
- About 85% of the U.S. ag sector's supply of potash, a major ingredient in fertilizer, comes from Canada.
What's next: Tariffs on steel and aluminum could be coming next Wednesday, according to Trump's proposed timeline.
- Tariffs function as an additional tax on goods and are often passed on to consumers, meaning the cost of many everyday items could increase, Axios' Ivana Saric reports.
Worthy of your time: Our colleagues spoke with farmers, farm bureaus, and policymakers across the region to gauge how the looming trade war is affecting those cultivating the nation's food supply.
Go deeper: Midwest farmers face an uncertain future