March 22, 2025 • 8 mins
Tariffs have been imposed on Canada, Mexico, and China, impacting farm and dairy products like wheat, corn, cotton, chicken, fruits, vegetables, and beef. Farmers and ranchers have been voicing their concerns about this, saying if the tariffs stick, it could hike prices for farmers and consumers alike, and strain an industry that's already, in some cases, struggling to get by. Warren Shaw, the President of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation and the owner/operator of Shaw Farm in Dracut, talks with Nichole about the potential local impact of these tariffs on farmers.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
From WBZ News Radio in Boston. This is New England Weekend.
Each week we come together here and talk about all
the topics important to you and the place where you live.
Thanks for joining us again. I'm Nicole Davis on WBZ.
In recent weeks, we have been talking about the tariffs
imposed on Canada and Mexico by the United States and
vice versa. Same with China to an extent. They've now
(00:30):
put a fifteen percent tariffon products like wheat, corn, and cotton,
a ten percent tariffon fruits, veggies, pork, and beef. Farmers
and ranchers have been voicing their concerns about this, saying
if the tariffs stick, it could hike prices for consumers
and farmers alike and strain an industry that's already in
some cases struggling to get by. That's especially the case
in the Midwest, where soybean and corn growers say their
(00:52):
profits are drying up by the day. So what I
wanted to do was talk with somebody local to learn
about this and how it impacts our arm industry. I
called up Warren Shaw. He is the current president of
the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation. He's also the owner operator
of Shaw Farm in Drake It So, Warren, I appreciate
your time, give me your thoughts if you coulde about
how these tariffs are going to impact farmers here in Massachusetts.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Well, I mean, I don't know that there'll be a
significant impact over the period of the next couple of weeks.
It's just anticipation or speculation as to what's going to
happen that will cost people money. In particular the matter
of the fertilizer coming out of Canada, and there's all
sorts of speculation about that. So you know, as it
(01:37):
relates to this time of year, I would say speculation
is more of the problem than anything else. Two months
from now it may look differently.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Yeah, And of course things change by the day, so
you never really know. When it comes to the fertilizer.
I did some research and saw pretty much eighty percent
of the potash that comes in for our fertilizer comes
from Canada. Is there another place to try and get
if you need it? Or is Canada really the place
where most people around here go.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
I bought ashes the place where the market goes to
get it, and that's the h And it's also you know,
ten percent of the nitrogen and twenty percent of the sulfur,
so a lot of the materials for fertilizer come out
of Canada. They'll be sourced elsewhere, but certainly that's that's
a big, a big problem in terms of cost. Now
(02:26):
do I think it will get to that point? I don't.
I think, you know, in a relatively short period of time,
the cooler heads will beginning to negotiate this out properly.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
It's been kind of rough for farmers over the past
couple of years. I know, we've had some pretty big
storms and then the drought last year didn't do farmers
any favors. I mean, how would you what kind of
state would you say that? In Massachusetts as a whole,
our farmers are in right now.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I think that's a good way to frame the question.
I think Massachusetts farmers are, particularly in New England, are
in a place than most, and that's because they have
a state in particular of the state's government that supports them.
And you know, if you look at what happened down
in the Connecticut River Valley in twenty three, the legislature
came up with forty million to solve their problem and
(03:19):
keep them in business. Massachusetts has the dairy tax credit.
No whether state has that. That helps the dairy communities
stay alive. And you know, so starting from the talk
to the governor to the legislature to MDAR, there's great
support comes out of Massachusetts government.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
The recent USDA cuts, the cuts across the board to
help not just food banks but also school districts by
locally growing food, which we do a lot of here
in Massachusetts, to our kids and low income people can
have the fresh food that's made right here. How is
that impacting you and other farmers right now?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Well, it doesn't impact us at all because we're not
part of that program. But I think that is a
bigger problem than anything. And in terms of the food
banks and schools that were recipients, the farmers that I
think that are involved, that have been getting you know,
doing business with them, they'll figure out a way to
(04:16):
deal with that. I think the problem with that is
that didn't that billion dollars didn't come from an appropriation.
It came from a president by an executive order, and
I think that's why it felt prey to the cuts.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Do you think it'll be restored eventually or do we
just not know? At this point.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Yeah, I think the would make sense to me both
here in mass and nationally is that these things get
addressed in the farm bill. And that's why it's important
that the legislator, that the that the Congress find a
way to get a new another farm bill and include
(04:57):
these things in it so that we don't have these
guanas that go on when we change you know, presidents,
or change the the strength of Congress, the the the
important thing is that all of these things get addressed
properly in a farm bill. We need that to happen.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Speaking of the Feds, by the way, I mean, as
the tariffs go up and down, plenty of people are
talking about the impact on farmers. Have you or have
you heard of any other farmers hearing from the Feds
looking or reaching out to say like, look, we'll help
you or offer you some help as you deal with
this roller coaster when it comes to tariffs.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Well, I think they're trying to give advice for sure,
And I can tell you that starts with American Farm Bureau.
We get a you know, an email from from American
Farm Bureau every morning telling us what has gone on.
Zippy Duvala, a National President has met with the with
the new sectory of Rollins and discussed a lot of
(05:53):
these things. And I think cool heads are beginning to
prevail where you know, many of these being looked at
and the good programs will, high priority programs will survive.
But there are there are farmers that have that are
worried about contracts, the existing contracts they have with federal
(06:13):
agencies being being you know completed.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Yeah, I mean when it comes to our farmers out here,
we're not like the ones in the Midwest that grow
all the soybeans and the corn and like, you know,
the massive, massive crops like that. But we have our
own concerns here too, because we generate a lot of
important produce and a lot of important products.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
There's no doubt about it. There's a you know, Masters
has a great agricultural community and I can't say enough
how much that it's important that it's supported by the
people in by the government, and I think that I
think that will continue. It's just this, I think, and
if you look at it, you know, sort of from
(06:56):
thirty thousand, this problem with what's going on in the
White House right now is not likely to be long term,
and at some point we'll have a more normalized economy.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
What do Massachusetts farmers need the most, not just from government,
but from the people. What do you and other farmers
need the most right now?
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Well, I think for the most part they get it.
I think it's support from the community and that runs
up the ladder to government. But I think that's what
will make the agricultural community in Massachusetts be sustainable, in
support from the people, not only in terms of buying products,
(07:39):
but also in the public policy process. All of that's important.
If you look around to other states, in New England,
they don't have it, and Massachusetts does.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
And again that's Warren Shaw there, the owner operator of
Shaw Farm in drake It and he's also the president
of the mass Farm Bureau. Have a safe and healthy weekend.
Please join me again next week for another edition of
the show. I'm Nicole Davis from w BZ News Radio
on iHeartRadio.
From WBZ News Radio in Boston. This is New England Weekend.
Each week we come together here and talk about all
the topics important to you and the place where you live.
Thanks for joining us again. I'm Nicole Davis on WBZ.
In recent weeks, we have been talking about the tariffs
imposed on Canada and Mexico by the United States and
vice versa. Same with China to an extent. They've now
(00:30):
put a fifteen percent tariffon products like wheat, corn, and cotton,
a ten percent tariffon fruits, veggies, pork, and beef. Farmers
and ranchers have been voicing their concerns about this, saying
if the tariffs stick, it could hike prices for consumers
and farmers alike and strain an industry that's already in
some cases struggling to get by. That's especially the case
in the Midwest, where soybean and corn growers say their
(00:52):
profits are drying up by the day. So what I
wanted to do was talk with somebody local to learn
about this and how it impacts our arm industry. I
called up Warren Shaw. He is the current president of
the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation. He's also the owner operator
of Shaw Farm in Drake It So, Warren, I appreciate
your time, give me your thoughts if you coulde about
how these tariffs are going to impact farmers here in Massachusetts.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Well, I mean, I don't know that there'll be a
significant impact over the period of the next couple of weeks.
It's just anticipation or speculation as to what's going to
happen that will cost people money. In particular the matter
of the fertilizer coming out of Canada, and there's all
sorts of speculation about that. So you know, as it
(01:37):
relates to this time of year, I would say speculation
is more of the problem than anything else. Two months
from now it may look differently.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Yeah, And of course things change by the day, so
you never really know. When it comes to the fertilizer.
I did some research and saw pretty much eighty percent
of the potash that comes in for our fertilizer comes
from Canada. Is there another place to try and get
if you need it? Or is Canada really the place
where most people around here go.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
I bought ashes the place where the market goes to
get it, and that's the h And it's also you know,
ten percent of the nitrogen and twenty percent of the sulfur,
so a lot of the materials for fertilizer come out
of Canada. They'll be sourced elsewhere, but certainly that's that's
a big, a big problem in terms of cost. Now
(02:26):
do I think it will get to that point? I don't.
I think, you know, in a relatively short period of time,
the cooler heads will beginning to negotiate this out properly.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
It's been kind of rough for farmers over the past
couple of years. I know, we've had some pretty big
storms and then the drought last year didn't do farmers
any favors. I mean, how would you what kind of
state would you say that? In Massachusetts as a whole,
our farmers are in right now.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I think that's a good way to frame the question.
I think Massachusetts farmers are, particularly in New England, are
in a place than most, and that's because they have
a state in particular of the state's government that supports them.
And you know, if you look at what happened down
in the Connecticut River Valley in twenty three, the legislature
came up with forty million to solve their problem and
(03:19):
keep them in business. Massachusetts has the dairy tax credit.
No whether state has that. That helps the dairy communities
stay alive. And you know, so starting from the talk
to the governor to the legislature to MDAR, there's great
support comes out of Massachusetts government.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
The recent USDA cuts, the cuts across the board to
help not just food banks but also school districts by
locally growing food, which we do a lot of here
in Massachusetts, to our kids and low income people can
have the fresh food that's made right here. How is
that impacting you and other farmers right now?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Well, it doesn't impact us at all because we're not
part of that program. But I think that is a
bigger problem than anything. And in terms of the food
banks and schools that were recipients, the farmers that I
think that are involved, that have been getting you know,
doing business with them, they'll figure out a way to
(04:16):
deal with that. I think the problem with that is
that didn't that billion dollars didn't come from an appropriation.
It came from a president by an executive order, and
I think that's why it felt prey to the cuts.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Do you think it'll be restored eventually or do we
just not know? At this point.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Yeah, I think the would make sense to me both
here in mass and nationally is that these things get
addressed in the farm bill. And that's why it's important
that the legislator, that the that the Congress find a
way to get a new another farm bill and include
(04:57):
these things in it so that we don't have these
guanas that go on when we change you know, presidents,
or change the the strength of Congress, the the the
important thing is that all of these things get addressed
properly in a farm bill. We need that to happen.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Speaking of the Feds, by the way, I mean, as
the tariffs go up and down, plenty of people are
talking about the impact on farmers. Have you or have
you heard of any other farmers hearing from the Feds
looking or reaching out to say like, look, we'll help
you or offer you some help as you deal with
this roller coaster when it comes to tariffs.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Well, I think they're trying to give advice for sure,
And I can tell you that starts with American Farm Bureau.
We get a you know, an email from from American
Farm Bureau every morning telling us what has gone on.
Zippy Duvala, a National President has met with the with
the new sectory of Rollins and discussed a lot of
(05:53):
these things. And I think cool heads are beginning to
prevail where you know, many of these being looked at
and the good programs will, high priority programs will survive.
But there are there are farmers that have that are
worried about contracts, the existing contracts they have with federal
(06:13):
agencies being being you know completed.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Yeah, I mean when it comes to our farmers out here,
we're not like the ones in the Midwest that grow
all the soybeans and the corn and like, you know,
the massive, massive crops like that. But we have our
own concerns here too, because we generate a lot of
important produce and a lot of important products.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
There's no doubt about it. There's a you know, Masters
has a great agricultural community and I can't say enough
how much that it's important that it's supported by the
people in by the government, and I think that I
think that will continue. It's just this, I think, and
if you look at it, you know, sort of from
(06:56):
thirty thousand, this problem with what's going on in the
White House right now is not likely to be long term,
and at some point we'll have a more normalized economy.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
What do Massachusetts farmers need the most, not just from government,
but from the people. What do you and other farmers
need the most right now?
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Well, I think for the most part they get it.
I think it's support from the community and that runs
up the ladder to government. But I think that's what
will make the agricultural community in Massachusetts be sustainable, in
support from the people, not only in terms of buying products,
(07:39):
but also in the public policy process. All of that's important.
If you look around to other states, in New England,
they don't have it, and Massachusetts does.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
And again that's Warren Shaw there, the owner operator of
Shaw Farm in drake It and he's also the president
of the mass Farm Bureau. Have a safe and healthy weekend.
Please join me again next week for another edition of
the show. I'm Nicole Davis from w BZ News Radio
on iHeartRadio.
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