SPARTA, Mich. — With changing policies at the federal level, local farmers in Michigan are seeking clarity on how these changes will affect them. Sen. Elissa Slotkin visited Sparta on Thursday to engage directly with farmers and address their concerns.
In an environment where agriculture plays a vital role, farmers expressed worries about the implications of federal actions. Jim May, a local farmer, stated, "We not only farm; we sell spraying equipment. I've seen guys turned down. I've ordered new equipment for guys; they turned it down. We sell a lot of computerized spraying equipment. We sold a few, but nothing like we have in the past. You can tell the ag[riculture] economy, it's in a slump."
Senator Slotkin underscored the unique challenges faced by Michigan's farming community, linking these challenges to potential tariffs. "There is no state in the country that is more impacted by tariffs, particularly on Canada, than Michigan because of our manufacturing sector and how much of our automotive is cross-border, but also for our farmers, Canada is our number one market," she said.
With more tariffs on the horizon, Slotkin remarked on the lasting effects of previous tariffs implemented in 2018, stating, "When President Trump put tariffs on China, they retaliated. So they stopped paying for our soybeans, and they just started going to Brazil and Argentina, and we've never made up that market share. It didn't make any financial sense, and those farmers never made up the market share."
Meanwhile, some farmers hold a different perspective, believing tariffs could enhance their business if strategically implemented. Denny Alt, another local farmer, suggested the possibility of protective tariffs for local produce. "If we're letting imports, apples, into Michigan ... from other countries, can we, you know, put a tariff on that? Maybe work with the new administration to put a tariff on apples, and that way that'll boost our apple economy," Alt said.
Despite differing opinions, the group agreed on one critical point. Senator Slotkin urged, "We need Michiganders to buy local Michigan produce, right? This is my plea to all Michiganders. We know that when you go to the grocery store, you can find a product from Mexico or from somewhere else. Buy the American product."
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