Tim Boring, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), is warning Michigan farmers that the state’s agricultural sector could be especially hard hit by tariffs recently imposed on foreign trade by the Trump Administration.

On Saturday, newly-inaugurated President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico, three of America’s top trade partners. Specifically, Trump has enacted 25 percent tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico, a 10 percent tariff on Canadian energy, and an extra 10 percent tariff on top of existing duties on Chinese goods. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt justified the tariffs by saying they were a means of curbing “illegal fentanyl [these countries] have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country.”

The policies triggered swift retaliation from Canada, which has imposed 25 percent tariffs on American imports to begin tomorrow (Tuesday). Mexico has promised retaliation as well, but has not announced specific plans. China, meanwhile, has said it will file a lawsuit against the United States with the World Trade Organization.

Boring and MDARD published a statement on the matter Saturday, warning of a massive fallout for Michigan agriculture – and, by extension, an impact on the state's food prices.

“We’ve had extensive conversations with farmers and other stakeholders, and I echo their concerns about these imposed tariffs,” Boring said in the statement. “While there are still a lot of unknowns, it’s important to remember two things: Canada and Mexico are our biggest export destinations, and the last time this happened retaliatory tariffs specifically targeted agriculture. We have to expect tariffs will immediately threaten agriculture jobs, our rural economies, and ultimately what it costs to put food on the table.”

Governor Gretchen Whitmer also blasted the Trump tariffs, saying they were likely to increase the costs of groceries, home heating, and cars,

“Michiganders are already struggling with high costs—the last thing they need is for those costs to increase even more,” Whitmer said in her statement. “A 25 percent tariff will hurt American auto workers and consumers, raise prices on cars, groceries, and energy for working families, and put countless jobs at risk.”