50% tariffs on paper and dairy and 25% tariffs on cheese go into effect today

WISCONSIN – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement as Canada placed retaliatory tariffs on key Wisconsin exports, including dairy and paper. The tariffs come in response to President Donald Trump imposing tariffs on Canadian goods after he abandoned trade negotiations and as his administration’s trade war continues to result in higher costs and shrinking export markets for Wisconsin businesses.

“In recent weeks, I’ve traveled to every corner of Wisconsin to hear about how Donald Trump’s chaotic tariffs and war in Iran have made it harder for small businesses to make ends meet. Now, President Trump has decided to make that situation even worse by starting a tit-for-tat trade war with our state’s biggest trading partner. Wisconsin’s iconic dairy and paper industries are taking it on the chin, being either forced to cut deep into their bottom lines or worse, being locked out of a key market because the tariffs are just too much to bear,” said Senator Baldwin. “The President is gambling with the livelihoods of our family farmers and manufacturers, but this isn’t a game — the consequences are businesses being forced to lay off workers, shuttered family farms, and devastated rural economies. Made in Wisconsin businesses deserve stability they can depend on to support growth and plan for the future – not these higher costs and endless chaos. My Republican colleagues should be joining me in this outrage and speaking out against it on behalf of our constituents and Made in Wisconsin economy.”

Nearly every variety of cheese Wisconsin sells to Canada will face a 25 percent tariff, and milk powders, whey, and other dairy ingredients will face 50 percent. The tariffs will also impact Wisconsin’s paper industry, including corrugated boxes, coated papers, packaging, and tissue products, which will face retaliatory tariffs of mostly 50 percent. Wisconsin makes more paper products than any other state in the country and annually results in more than half a billion dollars in sales to Canada. Last year, Canada bought nearly 28 percent of Wisconsin’s total exports, amounting to over $7.5 billion in Wisconsin goods—nearly double what Wisconsin exports to Mexico, the next-largest market.

Last month, Senator Baldwin released a brand-new report showing that, from the ongoing trade war, war in Iran, and chaos, Congressional Republicans and President Trump are costing Wisconsin families more than $3,300 for everyday essentials like housing, gas, and groceries.

An online version of this release is available here.