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Yuma farmers brace for Canada tariff impacts
Lettuce growers in Yuma are confronting trade war uncertainty as harvesting season approaches. FOX 10's Steve Nielsen reports.
PHOENIX - Lettuce farmers in Yuma are watching the trade war with Canada closely. Soon, they will need to harvest leafy greens, and right now, they do not know what the cost will be to send them to Canada.
Big picture view:
Yuma is covered in vast green fields, with lettuce as far as the eye can see. This is where the region's salad is grown. Shawn Wood with the Arizona Farm Bureau noted the scale of production, stating, "that's incredible when you think that comes out of Arizona."
Yuma farmers are responsible for more than 90% of leafy greens in the U.S. from November to April. That holds true for Canada as well. The industry is already bracing for Colorado River water cuts, and now a tariff war is also threatening the industry.
What they're saying:
The Trump administration and Canada backed out of a trade deal at the deadline. The U.S. imposed a 50% tariff on many goods, and Canada has responded in kind.
"We cannot accept what they've offered, and we will not give what they've asked," Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the diplomatic friction between the two nations.
"The fact that we provide their security for them, and they take advantage of us, I think President Trump was the first one to go, you know what, that's not the kind of relationship that friends should have," Duffy said.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says it will impact farmers.
"There is no doubt that it causes concern amongst our farmers and ranchers, as there are a lot of unknowns out there," Rollins said.
Local perspective:
With the Yuma lettuce harvest approaching soon, the Arizona Farm Bureau says it is important to get this solved quickly.
"We can't just walk in a store and decide to plant something different tomorrow," said Wood. "We've already committed to that. Those are six-month decisions that have been made, so this causes a lot of pressure on our industry," Wood said, adding, "all of these uncertainties start to make it really really challenging."
As of this moment, the U.S. and Canada have suspended their negotiations as tariffs begin. There are no scheduled meetings or plans to resume talks.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Shawn Wood, as well as from public statements made by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.