Duckworth, Durbin Urge President Trump to Reverse Tariffs That Could Devastate Farmers and Raise Food Prices
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, along with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), today joined 12 other Senators in urging President Trump to reconsider recently imposed tariffs that threaten American farmers, ranchers, businesses and consumers. The tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China will make it harder for farmers to sell their products, increase input costs, and make it harder for Americans to put food on the table. President Trump has since announced that most goods from Mexico will be exempt from the recent tariffs for one month.
In a letter to President Trump, the Senators wrote: “At a time when farmers operate on razor-thin margins due to low commodity prices and increased input costs, the chaos and uncertainty of these tariffs threatens their livelihoods. In addition to making it harder for farmers to sell their products, these tariffs will make it harder for Americans to put food on the table.”
The Senators continued, “Farm families should not be left as collateral damage in an unnecessary trade war. We strongly encourage you to reconsider the current tariffs plan and instead consider a more targeted approach that supports American farmers, ranchers, and businesses.”
Joining Duckworth, Durbin and Klobuchar in sending the letter were U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
The full letter is available here and below:
March 6, 2025
Dear President Trump,
We write to express our deep concern about the impacts of your recent trade announcements on farmers, ranchers, and businesses across the country.
At a time when farmers operate on razor-thin margins due to low commodity prices and increased input costs, the chaos and uncertainty of these tariffs threatens their livelihoods. In addition to making it harder for farmers to sell their products, these tariffs will make it harder for Americans to put food on the table.
Half of all U.S. agricultural exports go to Canada, Mexico, and China. As tariffs on these countries take effect, we know that their impacts are not temporary--tariffs can permanently shift market share to other countries, costing our farmers, ranchers, and other exporters for generations.
Damage to our trade relationships with Mexico and Canada has drastic consequences for American agriculture. With more than 40 percent of U.S. corn exports going to Mexico and more than 40 percent of U.S. ethanol exports going to Canada, corn growers in particular will experience significant market disruption with some of our nation’s most critical allies.
On top of shutting farmers out of critical export markets, these tariffs will drive up input costs. Tariffs on imports like potash will continue to increase fertilizer costs for farmers by as much as $1.70 an acre for corn and $1.42 an acre for soybeans.
Our nation’s farmers and ranchers feed America and the world. In recent years, agricultural exports have been a bright spot in our economy, growing over 150 percent in the last twenty-eight years. Nearly 20 percent of all U.S. agricultural production is exported to customers around the world, supporting more than one million jobs across the country. For America’s pork producers, exports create more than $66 in value for each hog marketed. And soybeans, which are the top export crop in the U.S., could face significant losses in sales and market share.
American farmers have spent decades building these export markets – and they have made clear that they need trade, not aid. Paying off farmers for the damage caused by this impending trade war cannot and should not be a replacement for meaningful and steady trade policy.
Farm families should not be left as collateral damage in an unnecessary trade war. We strongly encourage you to reconsider the current tariffs plan and instead consider a more targeted approach that supports American farmers, ranchers, and businesses.
Sincerely,
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