Just about everything that Canada exports to the US, including agricultural commodities, now have a 25 percent tariff tacked on. The exception is our energy exports,which have a 10 percent tariff attached as of early this morning. US president Donald Trump followed through a promise a month ago to punish Canada and Mexico for not taking steps at their border to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the US. In the case of Canada, many analysts say that argument was just a smoke screen for Trump to secure what he really wants from us, our resources.
Trump is also hitting China with 20 percent tariffs across the board today, and many analysts say his speech tonight to congress will outline even more plans to economically attack his neighbors.
China says it may put additional tariffs on many agricultural products coming from the US in retaliation.
Also yesterday, the US president sent a note on X to American farmers. Trump wrote…”to the great farmers of the US….get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold inside of the US. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun.”
His new USDA secretary, Brooke Rollins is defending Trump’s plans to use tariffs to protect US farm interests, but the tariffs are making shipments of potash from Canada more expensive and many American farmers depend on those shipments to grow their crops.
The government of Mexico responded today by saying the tariffs violate the new NAFTA that was signed a few years ago by the US president. It will announce plans for retaliation this weekend.
-With Files From Dean Thorpe
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