President Trump’s steel and aluminum import tariffs went into effect on Friday, March 23, 2018.  Since the tariffs were first announced, agricultural industry spokespersons, politicians from impacted states, and farmers and ranchers across the country have been voicing their concerns.

Ashley grain and livestock producers, Terry and Polly Ulrich, are among those expressing their apprehensions. “The tariffs on steel and aluminum will greatly affect Dakota farmers, especially soybean farmers. Most of the grain raised locally is shipped by truck and then by rail ending up in terminals near Portland, Oregon. At that point the harvested crops are loaded onto cargo ships that are headed across the Pacific Ocean to Asian countries. The majority of our corn and soybeans end up in China,” Terry said.

Each day, generally beginning in mid-March, a 100 car unit train is sent to ports carrying grain shipments destined for overseas. “That is how dependent this region is on grain exports,” Terry said.