Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker seeks to reassure farmers, agriculture workers at Trump tariffs take effect
Illinois leaders want farmers and agricultural workers to know they have their backs when it comes to selling their good around the world, even amid President Donald Trump's escalating trade war.
Governor JB Pritzker appeared with other state representatives for Agriculture Legislative Day to discuss issues facing the state's crops, including soybeans, corn, wheat, pumpkins and livestock.
Farmers worry other nations will look somewhere else for their supplies because of Mr. Trump's tariffs.
"Farmers and rural communities often bear the brunt of tariffs and tariff retaliation," Pritzker said. "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."
The governor recently led a delegation to Mexico and met with leaders from the United Kingdom to emphasize Illinois will remain a stable trade partner.
More than 900,000 people in Illinois work in the food and agriculture sectors.