Some farmers are unsure what impact the tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico, and China announced by President Donald Trump will have on them.

Eastern Iowa corn farmer Jason Orr tells KCRG TV it’s a waiting game after the tariffs were announced this weekend. ““I think we’re all kind of hanging out in limbo to see what’s going to happen,” he says. Orr says he understands how the tariffs could benefit the U.S. “They could be used as a bargaining chip to actually add value to the products that are leaving the United States,” Orr says. But he knows there also could be negative impacts on local farmers.

“One we either don’t sell our products and we have an overabundance of products in the United States we can’t get rid of or two, people won’t be able to afford what’s coming in to the country,” Orr says “It could raise our fertilizer prices, or could raise other inputs that come in from other countries,” he says. Farmers could also find themselves forced to cut back to save money.

The Iowa Corn Growers Association is bracing for the tariffs too. Nolan Lyness the Association’s District 3 Field Manager and tells KCRG TV they are working to help farmers find other outlets to sell their corn. “It does impose some market struggles,” he says . “That’s why we are using farmers checkoff dollars to invest in different technologies and different avenues to enhance their profitability and raise those markets, not only here in the U.S., but around the world.”. Orr says President Trump didn’t fulfill all his promise to help farmers in his last term, but says they’ve put a lot of faith in him for this second time around.

President Trump indicated on social media that the tariffs on Mexico will be paused for one month after the Mexican president indicated she would send troops to the border to help with stopping illegal drugs and illegal immigrants from crossing the border.

 

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