ST. PAUL, Minn. — Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development Committee Chair Aric Putnam (DFL-St. Cloud) today issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s plan to enact tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China:
“Minnesota’s agriculture community and our entire economy will be hit hard by the decisions President Trump is making about international trade. Since I became chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I have met with farmers and heard their concerns and hopes. Growing our food is challenging and stressful work, and, as farmers know, government can help, or it can get in the way. The only thing Trump tariffs will do is add even more stress to our farmers, make it even harder for them to succeed economically, and introduce even more uncertainty to their volatile businesses.
“Mexico, Canada, and China make up more than half of Minnesota’s multibillion-dollar agricultural export market. We have seen the impact of Trump’s trade disputes before, farmers lose and trading relationships are broken forever. I will hold a committee hearing February 17th to listen to the farmer’s voice, to hear from our friends in agriculture about how federal interactions will impact farms and rural communities. I urge President Trump to actually listen to our farmers and consider the harm tariffs will cause to Minnesotans and our agricultural economy.”
Vice Chair of the Higher Education Committee. He serves on the Jobs and Economic Development Committee and Taxes Committee.
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