YUMA, AZ AZFamily) \u2014 Local agricultural leaders are watching a high-stakes international trade dispute unfold in real time, warning that while it is too early to calculate the exact impact, Yuma growers are already looking north with caution.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Canada announced dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs ranging<\/a> from 15% to 50% on billions of dollars in American goods. The Canadian countermeasures come in direct response to a 50% tariff the Trump administration imposed on Canadian exports<\/a> last week after bilateral trade negotiations collapsed.<\/p>\n The escalating trade war could hit the Yuma area particularly hard, as Canada is a vital destination for locally grown winter produce.<\/p>\n According to data from the Canadian government, Canada imports approximately $676 million in agricultural goods from Arizona annually. Notably, $85 million of that trade is in lettuce\u2014one of the primary crops grown in Yuma, which is known as the \u201cWinter Salad Bowl of the Nation.\u201d<\/p>\n Mike Pasquinelli, president of the Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association<\/a>, said that while local farms may not feel an immediate shock, a prolonged standoff will eventually force growers to seek alternative markets.<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw it a couple of years ago when Canada had stopped buying some products and it put a damper on the market, but it\u2019s come back,\u201d Pasquinelli said.<\/p>\n During previous trade disputes, specific leafy greens like romaine, head lettuce, and broccoli bore the brunt of Canadian buying halts.<\/p>\n For now, the escalating tension has not disrupted seasonal operations. Yuma growers are moving ahead with their fall planting schedule as planned, holding onto hope that negotiators can reach a diplomatic resolution before Canada\u2019s tariff deadline on Sept. 8.<\/p>\n See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it<\/a>.<\/p>\n