MU economics professor takes a closer look at Trump tariffs | Mid-Missouri News [Video]

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Friday that President Donald Trump’s planned tariffs will go into effect on Saturday. 

These tariffs would tax goods coming into the country from Canada, Mexico and China. Canadian and Mexican imports will be hit with a 25% tariff while Chinese made goods will carry a 10% tax. 

Taxed items include electronics, toys, lumber, cars, and produce.

Imported produce is key as Americans are already spending big at the grocery store, and Mexico is the second-largest supplier of agricultural products to the United States.

While Trump said these tariffs are put in place to encourage American shoppers to buy American-made products, MU Associate Professor of Economics, Saku Aura, said it is the American consumer who will pay the most. 

“Given that produce is basically shipped daily and arrives very quickly at our grocery stores, we will probably see prices of fresh produce going up quite soon,” Aura said.

Similarly, the U.S. imports most of its forest products from Canada. In 2021, Canadian imports made up 46.2%…