EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) – Tensions between the United States and Canada have been tightening since each country announced tariffs on the others’ products.
As it stands on Wednesday, Canada has imposed dollar for dollar tariffs on American products, set to be effective on September 8.
Milk and cream products have a rate of fifty percent on cheese and curds are at 25.
Governor Tony Evers says that a trade war with Canada will hurt our state’s dairy industry.
During a visit to Chippewa Valley Technical College, Evers warned that Canada is a important part of the dairy farming system.
“If we’re messing around with Canada, we’re messing around with our own farmers. It makes no sense. And so we need to continue to talk about that,” Evers said. “You know, the idea that somehow a 50 percent increase in tariffs is going to be good for, I’m not sure whom, but it sure the hell isn’t good for our farmers and the people in the farm agriculture industry.”
Fred Clark, the democratic candidate for Wisconsin’s Seventh Congressional district, does not think that the tariffs are being used wisely.
“I think tariffs can work if they’re applied consistently and conservatively and if they lead to a stable trade policy but what we have right now is a trade policy that seems to change literally by the week,” Clark said. “And no farm and no business owner can make a commitment to make an investment when they don’t know what their cost of goods is going to be a month from now, or they don’t know if they’re going to have a market a month from now.”
Clark thinks that the Congress needs to get involved in the trade negotiations.
“I think a new Congress needs to take responsibility for setting the framework for our trade policy and especially the use of tariffs,” Clark said. “We can’t have a stable economic growth when tariffs from one nation and one product are literally changing weekly.”
WEAU also reached out to his opponent, republican Michael Alfonso with the same questions. Alfonso’s campaign manager sent a statement on his behalf.
“Wisconsin farmers deserve every opportunity to grow, compete, and succeed. That means lowering taxes, cutting unnecessary regulations, opening up new markets, and making it easier to do business.
As WI-7’s next congressman, Michael will fight to lower costs, expand opportunities for Wisconsin agriculture, and make sure our farmers have the freedom to grow their businesses and support their families.”
In the third Congressional district, two opponents are responding to the trade war. Republican Congressman Derrick Van Orden says he understands the concerns, but says it’s time for the U.S. to take control.
“We’ve tried to resolve these issues through negotiations, and Canada has continued to move the goalposts. Now we need to stand firm, enforce the agreement and make sure Wisconsin farmers aren’t the ones left paying the price,” Van Orden said in an emailed statement.
His opponent, democratic Congressional candidate Rebecca Cooke, recognizes an issue with Canadian-U.S. trade, disagrees with the approach.
“I know that Canada has always done a lot to deny Wisconsin farmers a fair chance to compete. Wisconsinites are struggling to put food on the table, gas in their car, and get the health care we all need. They don’t need even more trade chaos – they need less,” Cooke said in an emailed statement.
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