Plain Talk

583: 'The retaliation is the problem'

Mar 7, 2025

Mark Watne, President of the North Dakota Farmers Union, discusses the trade war's impact on agriculture. He emphasizes how tariffs hurt farmers, especially in North Dakota, where exports are vital. Watne highlights the confusion surrounding current tariffs and warns that retaliation can lead to prolonged economic depression. He also points out that reduced commodity prices don’t always mean lower food costs for consumers. Watne calls for clarity in trade policies and stresses the importance of international markets for the agricultural sector.

01:16:24

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Mark Watne

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Quick takeaways

Tariffs imposed by President Trump pose significant economic risks for North Dakota, especially due to the state's reliance on international exports.

The Dakota Resource Council plays a vital role in empowering local communities, particularly indigenous groups, to advocate for environmental and policy issues effectively.

Fluctuating tariffs create uncertainty in agriculture that leads to financial struggles for farmers, affecting commodity pricing and consumer costs alike.

Deep dives

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Intro

4min

Trade Turbulence and Agricultural Uncertainty

23min

Navigating Challenges in Agriculture

3min

Navigating Agricultural Challenges Amid Political Turmoil

2min

Tariffs and Tensions

10min

Navigating Government Cuts

6min

Navigating School Choice and Equity

28min

President Donald Trump's announced tariffs against Canada and Mexico and their retaliatory measures have significant economic risks, particularly for places like North Dakota, where so much of our economy is tied up in international markets. But perhaps even more damaging is the uncertainty Trump's mercurial approach to this policy area engenders.

One of the first questions we asked North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne on this episode of Plain Talk was whether we know what exactly our tariffs policy is toward Canada and Mexico right now given that Trump has pulled back on the tariffs he announced less than a week before.

"We really don't," Watne said. "It's been kind of hit and miss on trying to understand it and of course that's a symptom of a bigger problem."

"North Dakota is impacted the hardest of all states because we export so much," Watne added, "and the retaliation is the problem."

Trump's approach to tariffs can close off foreign markets to American goods, including crops, and that can have major economic implications. "If you're going to hold the US supplies in the US because you're killing your foreign markets, we're going to be in a depressed marketplace for a long period of time," Watne said.

He also warned that it's not just farmers who are going to feel the pain from tariffs. "Now, from a consumer perspective, you would assume, well, commodity prices are lower then of course food's lower, but that's not true," he said. "We've effectively gotten so much concentration in our place of food production from beef slaughter to pork slaughter to many grocery chains that control the distribution system that the reflection on commodity prices in what you pay is irrelevant."

"It doesn't matter if the price of wheat goes up or down, other than when it goes up [food prices] go up. When it goes back down, they don't bring the price down again."

Also on this episode, Chad Oban and react to some listener feedback, and make some predictions for the second half of the legislative session which kicked off this week.

This episode is presented by Dakota Resource Council. For nearly 50 years, DRC has worked across North Dakota to protect our land, water and future. Become a member, volunteer and take action, or donate today at www.DRCinfo.org.

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