Governor Tim Walz today visited a corn and soybean farm in Cannon Falls to highlight the impact of President Trump’s tariffs on Minnesota farmers. Tariffs on Canada and Mexico take effect today, limiting markets for Minnesota agricultural products while raising prices on fertilizer and fuel used to grow crops in the state. Both Canada and Mexico are among the top three countries for Minnesota’s agricultural exports. Photos from today’s event are linked here .

“In the last month, President Trump has made it abundantly clear that he does not care about the farmers who feed, fuel, and grow our country. The tariffs that took effect today will hurt our farmers, point blank,” said Governor Walz. “As Governor, I will work to ensure Minnesota continues to be a valued trading partner, and we will continue to stand up and fight for the people who feed our families and drive our economy.”

Agriculture is an essential part of Minnesota’s economy, employing hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans and generating over $100 billion dollars annually.

Effective March 4, President Trump has instated a 25% tariff on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico. In 2024, Minnesota exported $1.094 billion in food and agricultural goods to Mexico and $1.083 billion to Canada.

President Trump also added an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods, resulting in a cumulative 20% tariff. China is the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans purchasing $12.8 billion worth in 2024. Last week the United States Department of Agriculture’s FY 2025 export forecast for China was cut by $1.3 billion from the November 2024 projection, primarily due to reduced prospects for U.S. soybeans, corn, sorghum, and cotton.