Farmers Weekly Review

Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan commented today on new tariffs imposed on the United States’ top three agricultural trading partners Mexico, Canada and China, respectively.

“Illinois Farm Bureau urges President Trump to honor the USMCA, which was successfully negotiated during his last term, and to find other methods to combat illegal drugs and secure our border. We remain deeply concerned with the use of tariffs and their potential to spark retaliation on America’s farmers.

llinois farmers’ products – from grains and feed, corn, soybeans, ethanol, beef, pork, and more – rely on access to foreign markets and will undoubtedly be impacted by these new tariffs either through increased prices or decreased market access. This uncertainty coupled with an already struggling farm economy has farmers worried as we head into planting season.”

Illinois is the third largest exporter of agricultural commodities in the U.S. Total exports from Illinois in 2023 were estimated at $81 billion, of which $13.7 billion was attributed to agriculture.

According to the USDA Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS), in 2024 Illinois accounted for over $12.4 billion of agricultural product exports, including $3.6 billion worth of products to Mexico ($2.5 billion) and Canada ($2.1 billion).

Similarly, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, in 2024 Illinois accounted for over $784 million in agricultural product imports, including $542 million worth of products from Canada ($314 million) and Mexico ($228 million).