In the last week, the Trump Administration has released a flurry of updates to tariffs imposed on goods imported from Canada and Mexico, carving out exceptions for specific industries and goods.
Todd O’Hair is the president of the Montana Chamber of Commerce. He says the Trump administration’s waffling over what goods and industries will be subject to tariffs has been difficult for Montana businesses to navigate.
”It is creating a tremendous amount of uncertainty among some businesses in this economy as far as what these impacts are going to be. And so everyone is kind of sitting by with a lot of trepidation on what all this means.”
Montana’s agricultural producers may be hit especially hard by uncertainty in international trade. Klayton Lohr is the president of the Montana Grain Growers Association. He says grain producers in the state rely on Canadian imports and that the cost of fertilizer alone has gone up around 33% since January.
“ We're probably going to cut back fertilizer rates to what we can afford. So we run the risk of losing quality in the end, and maybe some bushels. But right now at the front end, we just, you know, you can't afford it.”
In a March 6 press conference, Gov. Greg Gianforte said he supports the Trump Administration’s decision on tariffs and that Montana will continue forging international relationships for its agricultural commodities.
“ I'm proud of the fact that we finally have a president standing up for America in our trading relationships."
During his address to Congress last week Trump asked America’s farmers to “bear with [him],” as tariffs are instated.
