Starting in September, U.S. farmers can apply for the first payments of a $12 billion subsidy program designed to protect them from a growing trade war between the U.S. and several other nations.
The European Union, Canada, China and others imposed retaliatory taxes — many of which target agricultural businesses in the U.S. — after President Trump instituted tariffs on imports of steel, aluminum and Chinese goods.
Mark Duffy is the director at Agri-Mark Family Dairy Farms in Mass., the co-op best known for making Cabot cheese. He said while he appreciates the federal government is concerned about the agricultural industry, he is worried about the long-lasting impact this trade war will have on the diary industry.
“It’s already had some effect on our cooperative as far as sales, and I share the concern that if it continues long-term that we will lose customers and we will lose those [international] relationships,” said Duffy.
Duffy said he feels the agricultural industry has been singled out.
“We don’t want to be pawns or be used to address an issue that we did not cause and we cannot remedy,” said Duffy.
Source: wbur.org
