Idaho farmers (and our small health products company) will struggle even with Trump’s 30% tariff rate (Opinion)

Unless revoked or substantially reduced from the newly negotiated for days President Donald Trump s China tariff will still wipe out the investments made in our small family business and kill our manufacturing plant here in Boise When I talk to my friends and neighbors about the continuing uncertainty I hear similar expressions of frustration about the impact of tariffs on American businesses For decades my husband has specialized in producing high-quality vitality products from protein or strength powders to supplements with vitamins and custom ingredients We sold our products in the United States but as the industry became saturated we exported to Poland Brazil Thailand and Australia Margins were tight but we paid above-average wages to the four employees we depend on A sparse weeks ago a Chinese company requested products from us that it was unable to make Despite the exchange war a large number of Chinese consumers prefer American foods and supplements because they view them as superior in quality But Trump s ever-changing tariffs killed the idea tariff coming in tariff when exported That wiped out the profit we needed and seemed certain to put us out of business Agriculture in Idaho now faces similar problems of survival especially because of tariff uncertainty Economist Brett Wilder of the University of Idaho reported Boise State Residents Radio We re in this window where people are deciding what crops they re going to plant People have to make that decision right now and live with that decision through the rest of the year even if something changes next week Idaho ranks third in the United States in dairy production and grows two-thirds of sweet corn seed worldwide along with potatoes wheat of which is exported onions food trout and barley USDA content announced by the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation show that from to Idaho s agricultural exports grew each year But in Trump added tariffs for China and China reduced its purchases of American soybeans corn and pork mostly grown in the Midwest Numerous farmers lost their land while others received various of the billion in subsidies that the first Trump administration doled out courtesy of taxpayers like you and me But ask any farmer and they ll tell you they d rather grow food than take welfare It s been hard to keep track of which tariffs are on and which are off but Trump has eased several tariffs from preponderance countries including Mexico and Canada for days Yet he initially increased tariffs on the greater part Chinese products causing China to retaliate Negotiations resulted in both countries reducing their escallation tariffs to and respectively But business with China won t be rational again until the agreement war ends Even though Mexico and Canada receive the greatest share of Idaho s farm products in China accounted for of Idaho s agricultural exports or million Our biggest ag export to China is whey from Idaho s dairy farms These new tariffs will hurt The Farm Bureau supports the goals of protection and ensuring fair bargain but farmers and rural communities often bear the brunt of tariffs and tariff retaliation announced Sean Ellis spokesman for the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation We re hopeful President Trump can limit deal disruptions and at the very least make sure farmers who are already operating on thin margins aren t caught in the crosshairs President Trump has offered varying justifications for imposing tariffs on particular countries around the world now paused but his basic explanation is that they will bring manufacturing back home That will take time Meanwhile the world market system has become less stable and predictions are for much higher prices here at home I am afraid that from cars to appliances we will all be shocked at how much more everything will cost Meanwhile I ve been calling and writing my Idaho members of Congress Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo and Congressman Mike Simpson all Republicans I ask them to stand up for my family other Idaho families and our farmers As for my family without our Idaho-based manufacturing company three generations of my family will be scrambling to keep our homes It s a blow and it s no joke to say that plenty of businesspeople are feeling what I can only call tariffied Crista V Worthy is a contributor to Writers on the Range writersontherange org an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West She writes in Idaho Sign up for Sound Off to get a weekly roundup of our columns editorials and more To send a letter to the editor about this article submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail