Illinois officials share concerns tariffs will impact state’s
agricultural sector
[April 22, 2025]
By Kevin Bessler | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – As planting season nears in Illinois, trade
tariffs are causing uncertainty among farmers.
President Donald Trump enacted a package of trade tariffs in the early
days of his administration, including on major trade partners Mexico,
Canada and China. He then paused many of the tariffs and exempted some
products.
Trump said the U.S. has been getting a bad deal in global trade and
promised that tariffs would boost the U.S. economy.
Illinois officials are reassuring farmers that efforts are being made to
sell their commodities.
During Agricultural Legislative Day at the State Capitol, Gov. J.B.
Pritzker met with stakeholders to discuss the issues facing the farming
industry.
"We have been working with our counterparts in Mexico as well as our
partners in Canada and around the world to keep our ties from this state
strong, and to ensure our farmers aren't once again left as collateral
damage in a self-inflicted trade war,” said Pritzker.
The governor this month led a delegation to Mexico, a major buyer of
Illinois corn. Overall, about a third of the corn grown in Illinois is
exported. By contrast, Iowa, the top corn producer in the country,
exports less than half of that.
Illinois soybean farmers sell much of their harvest to China. Illinois
State Treasurer Michael Frerichs said the Trump administration’s tariffs
could be harmful to the state’s farming industry in general, but
especially to soybean farmers.
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Farm Progress Show attendees inspect farming equipment in Decatur,
Illinois, Aug. 29, 2023
Illinois.gov
“Illinois farmers have seen how this played out before,” said
Frerichs. “During Trump’s first term, his tariffs drove China to
start buying soybeans from Brazil.”
Agricultural products like soybeans, corn and pork made up the
majority of Illinois' exports to China last year, comprising nearly
$1.5 billion.
According to the USDA Global Agricultural Trade System, in 2024
Illinois accounted for over $12.4 billion of agricultural product
exports, including $3.6 billion worth of products to Mexico ($2.5
billion) and Canada ($2.1 billion).
"Illinois farmers’ products, from grains and feed, corn, soybeans,
ethanol, beef, pork, and more, rely on access to foreign markets and
will undoubtedly be impacted by these new tariffs either through
increased prices or decreased market access,” said Illinois Farm
Bureau President Brian Duncan. “This uncertainty coupled with an
already struggling farm economy has farmers worried as we head into
planting season.”
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