Str. Albans – Poulin Grain, a two -plant animal food manufacturer in northern Vermont, relies on crops imported from Canada, such as corn and oats, to make its products. But the company’s costs will increase significantly – and, perhaps, unstable – if 25% of President Donald Trump’s proposed tariff for products from Canada comes into force, Poulin’s Supreme Vice President Mike Tetreault said on Monday, said to the moon.
The company may start emanating some raw materials domestically, Tetreault said, but the materials would cost more, and those costs would pass to customers.
“We have not taken the limits to compensate it. Sellers have no limits to compensate it. So, in essence, farms and users of our wheat products and food products will pay more,” Tetreault said, speaking in A round table for Trump’s proposal in St. Albans on Monday morning gathered by US Senator Peter Welch, D-VT.
“There is no other option,” he added.
Tetreault was one of the several business leaders of Vermont, along with representatives of commercial groups, as well as state officials, who expressed concerns to Welch about the impacts that tariffs could have on the costs of local goods and services.
Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tax on goods coming to the US from Canada and Mexico as early as February 1. For now, both countries have a free trade agreement with the US with which most of the goods traded among the three Don ‘nations have no tariffs.
The president told reporters last week that his proposal was a response to Canada and Mexico allowing “the mass number of people to enter and Fentanyl to enter.” While it is not clear exactly how tariffs would be implemented, experts generally agree that they can disrupt many US industries and raise prices for many goods for consumers.
“The amount of disruption that will occur through each of your enterprises is extraordinary,” Welch Panel told, which also included a manufacturer of contracts in Morrisville and a manufacturer of sugar equipment in Swanton, among other things.
Rock Gaulin, who runs Maple Division for H2O Innovation, said tariffs can protect US -based operations in the short term, but would eventually lead to higher prices for sugarmakers buying its evaporators and other equipment .
Welch said he was committed to making a issue against Trump’s proposed tariffs at Washington DC in the coming weeks, including hearing he expects the Senate Finance Committee, to which he sits, will meet for that issue.
Some speakers said Vermont can feel disproportionate influences from the proposed tariffs because Canada is, so far, the largest international trade partner of the state locked up on Earth. Like Poulin Grain, many Vermont companies are “so reliable” in cross -border imports of raw materials, Amy Spear, President of the Chamber of Commerce in Vermont, noted.
Tariffs targeting Canada can also increase Vemronters’ energy bills, noted Welch, showing how the state receives about a quarter of its electricity from Canada’s Hydro-Quebec.
Mari McClure, President and Director General of Green Mountain Power – Vermont’s largest electric company – estimated that Trump’s proposed fee for Canada could result in additional $ 16 million in additional energy costs to Which she said with the limited exception, go, go “directly to the rate payers.”
However, McClure and other speakers noticed that it is impossible to say for sure what the impact would be because the details of Trump’s proposals have not been clear – nor is it clear that tariffs would even come into force in February 1.
This has made it difficult for businesses to prepare in recent weeks, some said. Sarah Mearhoff, Director of Advocacy and Communication for the Trade Association representing the Vermont Construction Industry, showed how some contractors could spend, for example, spending money now on timber – just to find out later that it was unnecessary .
“At one point they thought they would have the first day tariffs – and now they are saying February 1,” the Treasury of Mike Pieciak said, referring to the first day of Trump’s presidency. “I think there is a question mark for businesses, will they ever come? Is that true – or isn’t that true?”
The discovery: Sarah Mearhoff reported to Vtdigger from October 2021 to December 2024.