Pictured is Rural Minds Founder, Jeff Winton, speaking recently at a meeting about what imposed tariffs may mean for local farmers. Submitted photo

With the current administration’s plan to implement global tariffs on certain countries, local leaders in the agriculture, mental health, and manufacturing fields are raising concerns about what the economic impacts of those tariffs may be on local communities.

Founder of Rural Minds, a locally based nonprofit focusing on mental health in rural areas, Jeff Winton, released a statement on Tuesday where he outlined his concerns over what effect the tariffs could have on the rural areas.

As a multigenerational family dairy farmer and mental health advocate for the 46 million people in rural America, Winton said in his statement that he is “deeply concerned” about the actions taken by the current administration in regards to these imposed tariffs.

“In our work at Rural Minds, we often cite statistics about what rural communities and the farming communities specifically deal with even before these tariffs were imposed,” Winton said. “People in rural America, for example, are already 65% more likely to die by suicide than people living in large urban areas, and farmers are twice as likely to take their own lives compared to workers in other professions. The expected economic impact of these tariffs will likely also take a toll on the mental health of those working in what is already a challenging business.”

The imposed tariffs are largely aimed at Canada, Mexico and China, and according to statistics recently released by the American Farm Bureau, more than 20% of farm income in the United States comes from exports, dominated by these three specific countries. Winton discussed this statistic in his statement, and continued by adding that in 2024 alone, the US exported more than $30 billion in agricultural products to Mexico, $29 billion to Canada and $26 billion to China, the country’s top three markets and nearly half of all exports by value combined.

“On Tuesday, March 4, China announced that they will now impose levies on U.S. food imports, and they have revoked the right of three international commodities firms to ship American soybeans to China,” Winton said. “Mexico and Canada are expected to announce their own plans soon. Regarding Canada, it’s important to note that more than 80% of the potash used in fertilizer by American farmers comes from Canada. Fertilizer is already extremely expensive and any additional tariffs by Canada will be devastating for the American farmers that rely on fertilizer to grow affordable, nutritious, and quality crops for both human and animal consumption.”

Even during the best times, Winton said agriculture is a “fragile business” and one with many factors outside the control of the people in the industry, adding that speaking from his own experience, farming is a roller coaster with “glorious peaks and disastrous valleys”.

“It’s a business always at the mercy of Mother Nature, and within the past year alone, thousands of farms across America were negatively impacted, if not destroyed, by floods, wildfires, mudslides, tornadoes, and hurricanes,” Winton said. “Ill-conceived actions now taking place by the administration will have a devastating, long-term impact on an industry and people I love dearly and exacerbate an already dire situation. These are the people who work diligently, 365 days a year, to feed and clothe us. They deserve better.”

Winton encouraged everyone to make their voices heard by contacting their Senators and Representatives to press the administration to address the tariff issue as a top priority.

Also addressing the potential impacts of the tariff issue, the Buffalo Niagara Manufacturers Alliance and the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier jointly issued a statement on Wednesday. They expressed similar concerns to Winton, warning that continued uncertainty surrounding trade policies “threatens investment, job creation, and long-term growth in the manufacturing sector.”

“Manufacturers operate in a capital-intensive environment that requires long-term planning and stability,” the business associations said. “The ongoing uncertainty created by tariffs is making it harder for companies to make confident decisions about expansion, hiring, and investment in New York State. Manufacturers–small and large–are looking for pro-growth policies that foster stability and encourage investment. Tariffs that drive up costs without a clear long-term strategy undermine the strength of the manufacturing sector.”

The released statement also included a statement from Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, who emphasized the point that uncertainty undermines the strength of the manufacturing sector, and that specifically, “We need a clear, actionable, multi step strategy from our government–one that says, ‘We want you to invest here, hire here and succeed here.'”

Other economic risks associated with tariffs were noted to include that they increase costs for manufacturers, disrupt supply chains, and ultimately impact consumers. Other statistics from the National Association of Manufacturers include; 1/3 of all U.S. imported manufacturing inputs now come from Canada and Mexico. The value of U.S. imports of manufacturing inputs from North America is now three times greater than China, and a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico is adding an estimated $144 billion a year to the cost of manufacturing in the United States.

According to the issued statement, the US Chamber of Commerce has also come out strongly against these tariffs.

“The Chamber supports the administration’s efforts to advance pro-growth policies like fewer regulations and less taxation that will grow our economy and expand opportunity; and to fix serious problems like our broken border and stopping the flow of fentanyl in this country,” Neil Bradly, Chief Policy Officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in the statement. “We also want to work together to keep costs down, but tariffs will only raise prices and increase the economic pay being felt by everyday Americans across the country. We urge reconsideration of this policy and swift end to these tariffs.”

The BNMA and MAST– who advocate for manufacturers across the five counties of Western New York — are urging policymakers to prioritize solutions that reduce trade uncertainty, promote a competitive business environment, and support a strong domestic manufacturing base. They stand with manufacturers and business leaders in calling for a clear and predictable trade strategy that fosters long-term economic growth.