| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 2, 2025 Contact: [email protected] |
Ahead of another announcement from the White House on tariffs, Maine’s agricultural and brewing sectors are raising alarms about the detrimental effects of tariffs. These new tariffs are expected to significantly increase operational costs for farmers and brewers, potentially leading to higher prices for consumers and threatening the viability of local businesses and tourism.
New polling from Tariffs Cost Us and the nonpartisan pollster Morning Consult found:
- Inflation is a top concern for Maine voters, and four-in-five ME voters (79%), including three-in-five Republicans (60%) and four-in-five Independents (87%), expect the cost of goods they purchase to increase because of tariffs.
- The tariffs on Canada are particularly unpopular in Maine, with voters rejecting them by a 26-68 margin. Overwhelming majorities believe these tariffs will harm U.S.-Canada relations (81%), disrupt trade (86%), and reduce Canadian tourism to Maine (80%).
WGME: Maine farmers voice concerns over more tariffs
Annie Watson, President of the Maine Dairy Industry Association, expressed concern about the potential consequences: “A trade war with our neighbors, like Canada, will absolutely hurt Maine dairy farmers and could have a detrimental effect on our greater agricultural industry, which is honestly hugely dependent on our dairy farms.”
WABI: ‘From dairy to blueberries’: Maine businesses fear future following Trump tariffs
“We have an unquestionable commitment to local agriculture and community, and our breweries purchase over 4,000,000 pounds of Maine agricultural products every year,” said Sarah Bryan, executive director of the Maine Brewers’ Guild.
“In an inflationary market, we are facing the very real possibility of accepting serious decreases to already slim profits or to pass along to our customers, which we consider a truly lose-lose scenario as prices are already high,” Bryan said.
Maine Morning Star: Maine farmers, brewers concerned about next round of tariffs
The “on again, off again” tariff discussion that has colored the first few months of the Trump administration have left farmers in a state of limbo, waiting to see what will actually be imposed, how it will affect them and what decisions they will need to make in response, said Sarah Alexander, executive director of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.
Alexander knows of one farm that planned to build another greenhouse this year, but has put that project on hold because the construction cost has already gone up by 50% due to the tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Bangor Daily News: Maine dairy farm says tariffs will increase its grain costs $1,200 per month
Farmers expect already high costs for feed and fertilizer — driven by inflation — to increase even more with the tariffs, said Annie Watson, president of the Maine Dairy Industry Association and co-owner of Sheepscot Valley Farm. The farm in Whitefield milks 70 cows and has another 90 cows on the organic farm. Its milk is processed into yogurt by Stonyfield in New Hampshire.
The farm imports all of its organic grain from Canada. Watson said she expects an increase of $100 per ton for its organic grain, which for 70 cows is an additional $1,200 to $1,400 per month.
“These are not optional costs for our farmers,” she said. “You have to feed your herd.”
KVVR News “It is going to increase prices for farmers,” said Sarah Alexander, Executive Director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. “In addition to the grain imports and fertilizer imports that might be coming from Canada, we’re also expecting increases on other inputs that farms may need, materials, resources, things for infrastructure that farms might be building on their farm.”
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Tariffs Cost US is a new campaign of Trade Connects Us, a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization dedicated to providing the public with reliable, comprehensive information about global trade and tariffs, and their impact on both businesses and consumers.
