Ag News

Tariffs pose threats to many Georgia farmers

Having been through tariff wars in previous years, Georgia’s farmers know all too well what to expect as President Donald Trump moves forward with his plan to impose tariffs on foreign goods coming into the United States.

Some crops may benefit. Fruit and vegetable producers who have contended with what they say is unfair competition from imports, which are produced at lower cost largely because labor in the U.S. is significantly more expensive than labor in competing nations.

Farmers who grow other crops stand to lose business as a result of the tariffs.

According to AFBF, more than 80% of the U.S. supply of potash comes from Canada, so a tariff against Canadian imports would make potash more expensive, increasing U.S. growers’ input costs.

More than 20% of U.S. farm income comes from exports. In the past, export destination countries have responded to U.S. tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods.

In 2024, the U.S. exported over $30 billion in agricultural products to Mexico, $29 billion to Canada and $26 billion to China.

That included $490.11 million worth of poultry bound for China.

U.S. cotton growers – Georgia is the second-largest cotton-producing state – exported $10.7 billion worth of cotton to China alone in 2023, accounting for more than 20% of U.S. cotton exports that year.

China has been the largest export destination for U.S. pecans since 2000. According to published reports, China has imposed retaliatory tariffs of 52% on U.S. pecans, seven times the tariff percentage China levies on imports from other countries.

---

• Categories:

• Tags:

---