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U.S. group warns tariffs hurt ag, calls for delay

Since U.S. president Donald Trump reinforced his seriousness about tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China, Canadians across all sectors including agriculture, have urged lawmakers on both sides of the border to do all they can to delay, mitigate or prevent the tariffs. Now, a U.S. agriculture group has joined the chorus.

The move would see a 25 per cent tariff applied to any goods imported to the U.S. from Canada (besides energy, which would be subject to a 10 per cent tariff). Although initially set for Feb. 4 and delayed by one month, communication from the White House have largely indicated the tariffs will go forward as planned March 4. For its part, Canada has stated it will apply an estimated $1B in retaliatory tariffs if the order goes forward.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is among the U.S. organizations now vocally urging the government to delay the tariffs once again. The AFBF, which represents nearly six million member families through 2,800 county farm bureaus (spanning 50 state farm bureaus and Puerto Rico) says the country’s farmers are concerned about “rising costs and limited access to essential supplies.” It named Canadian potash, a crucial fertilizer ingredient. The U.S. agriculture sector has already struggled with high fertilizer costs since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

“Farm Bureau supports the goals of security and ensuring fair trade, but farmers and rural communities often bear the brunt of tariffs and tariff retaliation,” the Farm Bureau stated in a press release. Despite what the organization described as “relief” from the one-month delay, which allowed farmers to plan ahead, the group urges “continued negotiations to prevent further economic strain.”

“For a third straight year, farmers are losing money on almost every major crop planted,” the Bureau stated. “As the new deadline approaches, we ask the president to continue to look for ways to avoid imposing tariffs that will further drive up the cost of fertilizer and other supplies, and could reduce access to markets for the farm and ranch families dedicated to keeping America’s pantries stocked.”

The AFBF is headed up by president Zippy Duvall, who had previously been speculated as a frontrunner for the U.S. agriculture secretary position. The appointment eventually went to Brooke Rollins.

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