Tariffs And Trade War Impacting Ag In Multiple Ways

Ask Ryan Weld, owner of Pasco Tire Factory, he’ll tell you that 2018 has been a good year with a few ups and downs.  But one of the biggest issues impacting the local Ag community is not the weather, not the commodity prices, but the tariffs and ongoing trade disputes.  He said many don’t appreciate how these trade battles impact their portion of the farming community.

“Which is driving up raw costs of materials which, everybody is feeling that, but it’s hitting the tire industry, we’re just starting we’re going to see a whole lot more, I’m afraid here in the start of 2019.”

Weld said it’s important that the local Ag community come together during these challenging times, adapt and work to help the industry as a whole.  Weld added with so much out of local control, it can be very frustrating.

“Some of the raw increases are just due to just shipping across any water channel, it’s just crazy.  Ports, the cost to upload ships anymore it’s gone up, to load them.  We’re all being stuck with that and we just have to find ways we can all work together to make it better for everybody that’s out there, over the course of a few more months it sounds like.”

Weld said while it’s currently challenging, he’s confident that the Ag community will enjoy better days ahead, but he is hopeful many of these trade issues will be resolved sooner, rather than later.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekradio.com