Salinas: Tariffs Will Hurt Oregon Farmers

Tariffs against Mexico and Canada were delayed by at least 30 days earlier this week, but they’re still a risk, according to some members of Oregon’s congressional delegation.  Oregon Congresswoman Andrea Salinas says farmers in her Sixth District are worried, and she wants the House Agriculture Committee to hold hearings on how President Trump’s proposed tariffs could impact producers.

“I absolutely support efforts to secure our borders. This is not the way to achieve it.”

Salinas told KXL radio in Portland the 30-day hold is a positive sign, but she still worries about the threat of retaliatory tariffs from Canada, which is a major export market for Oregon growers.

“Our wine industry would have taken a heavy hit," she said.  "We also know that our specialty crops: blueberries, hazelnuts, wood products, timber, all of that would have been incredibly affected and we could have seen billions of dollars in lost revenue and really a loss of about 86,000 jobs.”

Some economists estimate if the tariffs are imposed, would cost the average American family an additional $1,200 a year.

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