From President & CEO Krysta Harden:

 “Yesterday President Trump signed three Executive Orders imposing 25% tariffs on most goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% tariffs on goods from China, all of which are set to go into effect on Tuesday, Feb. 4. The White House cited the ongoing flow of illicit drugs into the United States as the primary reason behind the imposition of tariffs. While this legitimate concern needs to be swiftly addressed, we urge discussions between all countries involved to resolve the issues in a manner that preserves the livelihoods of dairy farmers and manufacturers in rural America.

Mexico, Canada and China are the United States’ largest dairy export markets, collectively accounting for over half of our exports by value each year. Past trade disruptions have shown the risks of instability. China’s retaliatory tariffs alone resulted in an estimated $2.6 billion in lost dairy farm revenues from 2019 to 2021.

As the Administration works to address the legitimate concerns raised by President Trump, we encourage the Administration to draw on the types of tools President Trump wielded so successfully when negotiating USMCA—bringing everyone to the table and working out a solution that minimizes unintended consequences for farmers, rural manufacturers, and consumers.”