Today, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig released the following statement in response to President Trump’s decision to place across-the-board 25 percent tariffs on products imported from Canada and Mexico, and 10 percent tariffs on Canadian energy products.

“No one wins in a trade war. The last time President Trump started a trade war, costs went up for America’s family farmers and consumers. The same will happen today. The cost of imported goods like oil, lumber, avocados, tomatoes, bell peppers, lettuce, broccoli, cucumbers, onions and mushrooms and other fresh food are likely to go up for Americans. At a time when farmers are struggling with high input costs and the American people continue to struggle with the cost of groceries, these tariffs will make it more expensive for farmers to grow food and for consumers to buy it. Additionally, when American farmers face the inevitable retaliatory tariffs from our trading partners, their profits take a hit. This action is especially questionable since President Trump’s previous administration negotiated our last trade agreement – USMCA – with Canada and Mexico.”

Background
During the last trade war, American farmers lost $27 billion in agricultural exports as they were shut out of foreign markets. American consumers paid over $3 billion a month in higher taxes on everything from groceries to household appliances. Today, Mexico is the largest supplier of the fruit, vegetables, and nuts that American families eat. Canada supplies nearly 90 percent of our potash, a key nutrient used in the fertilizer farmers use to grow crops. In 2023, more than 70 percent of all U.S. imports of petroleum(including crude oil) come from Canada and Mexico.