Idaho’s agricultural producers are among those feeling uneasy after the latest development in the ongoing trade wars.
In response to aluminum and steel tariffs President Donald Trump put on Mexico, Canada, and the European Union, Mexico is responding with its own tariffs targeting agriculture. The taxes will impact two of Idaho’s biggest exports – dairy and potatoes.
Idaho is the third-largest dairy producing state in the U.S., and dairy is the Gem State’s number one agricultural export, with dairy exports to Mexico conservatively estimated at $26 million. The state Department of Agriculture says Mexico is one of Idaho’s top export markets, and farmers are concerned because of the immediate loss of sales and the potential long-term losses.
The tariffs put a 20 to 25 percent tax on cheese and cheese products, and 20 percent on processed potato products. (KTVB)
