Opinion: Federal trade policy should foster growth, not uncertainty

Published 1:14 pm Friday, March 7, 2025

Oregon has always been a place where trade isn’t just business — it’s a way of life. Hundreds of thousands of people across the state, from Astoria to Umatilla County, rely on jobs tied to trade, whether in high-tech manufacturing or agriculture.

Since the Port of Portland was established in 1891, our connection to global markets has driven economic growth and supported families throughout the region, including my own.

I grew up near Pendleton on a ranch that has been in my family for five generations. I spent several summers driving an 18-wheeler truck hauling wheat from our farm to the Port of Umatilla, where it was shipped to Portland and then Asia; I like to think of the wheat I hauled ending up as noodles served in Japanese ramen shops. I went on to become the longest-serving director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, representing our state’s ag industry domestically and internationally for 13 years. I now serve as president of the Port of Portland Commission.

Having spent my life immersed in connecting Oregon agriculture to global markets, I’m deeply concerned about the impact of a looming trade war on the people who live and work here. From cherry growers in the Gorge, Willamette Valley foresters, wheat farmers in Eastern Oregon, Nike designers and semiconductor manufacturers in Beaverton, restaurant owners and retailers around the state, to every Oregon consumer, international trade affects all of us.

As one of the most trade-dependent states in the nation, Oregon’s economic strength comes from strong trade relationships.

Last year, the state exported $34.1 billion in goods, with nearly half of that going to Mexico, China and Canada. Mexico is our top trading partner, purchasing $6.3 billion in Oregon products, followed by China at $5.8 billion and Canada at $3.3 billion.

In 2024, Oregon businesses imported $7.35 billion in goods from Mexico, Canada and China. The latest round of tariffs would add an estimated $1.43 billion in new import taxes, making it harder for local businesses to stay competitive, and raising prices on all sorts of products for consumers.

The impact of increased tariffs, and counter tariffs imposed on U.S. exports in retaliation, could be far reaching — from higher costs for imported goods and supply chain disruptions, to impacts on Oregon companies’ competitiveness, jobs, and state and local tax revenue.

We’ve already witnessed the damage trade disputes can cause. In 2018, when China imposed tariffs on American agricultural products in response to U.S. tariffs, Oregon farmers saw immediate declines in sales and lost access to key markets. Realizing the harm this posed for those who grow food like wheat and blueberries, the federal government offered payments to soften the blow, but it would have been better if these businesses, who produce some of the highest-quality products in the world, were allowed to showcase them and compete in the global market.

Meanwhile, tariffs on imported raw materials raised costs for manufacturers, cutting into profits and threatening jobs. And now, Canada is considering retaliatory tariffs of its own, which could hit many of our exports to the country — particularly wood products, beverages and tires.

Trade policy should be a tool for strengthening our economy, not a weapon that threatens the livelihoods of hardworking Oregonians. Instead of broad tariffs that invite retaliation, good policy should foster growth instead of uncertainty. It should focus on fair trade agreements that protect American industries without harming the workers who depend on strong trade relationships.

We appreciate the partners and champions in the Oregon Legislature who are elevating this topic to make sure we have a coordinated trade strategy for Oregon. As the geopolitical context evolves, it’s important to have a plan for identifying and maximizing available tools like foreign trade zones, so we can support jobs and businesses and continue to showcase our products at the global level — which starts with a unified strategy for our state.

As you, your businesses and your communities feel the impacts of these decisions, please make sure your representatives understand how you’re affected. I shared my story about a lifetime spent championing Oregon’s ag industry; make sure our lawmakers hear about how the trade war is affecting you — no one can share your story better than you can.

Oregon’s economic future depends on it.

“Having spent my life immersed in connecting Oregon agriculture to global markets, I’m deeply concerned about the impact of a looming trade war on the people who live and work here.”