Comes as the Trump Administration implemented sweeping 25% tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China
Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Allison Hope, Executive Director of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association, joined Senate Democrats for a press conference on Capitol Hill Tuesday with Americans from across the country who are being hurt by Trump Administration policies—from businesses hit by tariffs to veterans who were laid off by Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to cancer researchers.
Senator Welch also released a statement (below) in advance of President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress Tuesday evening.
Allison Hope, Executive Director of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association spoke about how Trump’s Trade War will hurt Vermont’s maple industry:
“Vermont makes about 50-51% of the U.S. production of pure maple syrup, and we have Canadian partners across the border. In the past 20 years, Vermont’s production rates have grown 500% and a 25% Canadian tariff on maple equipment—most of which comes across the border, because that’s where most maple syrup is made—on the Canadian imports that come into Vermont will have a staggering effect on Vermont’s producers, who not only are agricultural farmers, but they are foresters, and so they keep a large swath of Vermont forested.
“I think that our Canadian counterparts are a huge part of our trade. The U.S. can’t supply all of the maple syrup for retail in the United States, and so we bring into Vermont —and other areas of the U.S.—Canadian bulk syrup. When that price goes up, it affects the shelf price at retail, and those larger contracts for blended Vermont, U.S., and Canadian maple syrup—those contracts change for cents on the dollar. And so, the end result of that will be a potential stagnation of production in Vermont and also a loss of potential shelf space at a time when it’s really hard and really expensive to get it back,” Hope said.
After the event, Senator Welch emphasized the importance of making sure the Trump Administration hears directly from those who are impacted by Trump’s misguided trade policies:
“These tariffs are really going to hurt our economy in Vermont, and the impacts will be far-reaching. President Trump is singlehandedly raising costs for Vermonters—from the food on our table, to our energy bills, to the materials our home construction companies and manufacturers need. It’s important that the Trump Administration and my colleagues across the aisle hear directly from those who are impacted and that they drop this misguided plan.”
Watch stream of the press conference below:
Vermont’s maple industry—as well as farms and businesses across Vermont—are bracing for the economic fallout of Trump’s 25% tariff on Canada, which went into effect today. Sugar makers expect the cost of Canadian-made sugaring equipment to dramatically increase. Bulk maple sales to major retailers like Costco, Target, and Whole Foods rely on both U.S. and Canadian producers and most of the equipment needed to produce syrup is manufactured in Canada.
Last week, Senator Welch expressed opposition to the Trump Tariffs after voting against the nominationof Jamieson Greer for United States Trade Representative. He also joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-N.H.) Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act, which would shield American businesses and consumers from rising prices imposed by tariffs on imported goods into the United States. The bill would keep costs down for imported goods by limiting the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)—which allows a President to immediately place unlimited tariffs after declaring a national emergency—while preserving IEEPA’s use for sanctions and other tools.
Welch response to President Trump's speech
Senator Welch also released the following statement in advance of President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress Tuesday evening:
“President Trump’s second term is off to a chaotic and cruel start. The past 43 days have delivered an incredible disruption to Vermont families and communities—the complete opposite of the economic relief and stability people need. We’ve entered a painful trade war sparked entirely by the President’s whims. He’s illegally frozen congressionally-appropriated funds, fired thousands of government workers at the direction of Elon Musk, and is creating a constitutional crisis.
“I am thankful to be joined tonight by Allison Hope of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association. Allison and Vermont’s best-in-the-nation sugar makers know all too well the impact of Trump’s Trade War, which took a dangerous turn today. The maple industry, like so many industries in Vermont, will be hit by the new tariffs on Canada. The President’s tariffs are a reckless tax hike for America’s farmers, businesses, and families. The honest and simple truth is that nobody wins a trade war.
“I hope to hear tonight about how President Trump plans to lower grocery and health care costs for families, create jobs, and support working families—plans that he forgot to include in his inaugural address. I want to remind my colleagues across the aisle that all of us were elected to serve the best interests of our constituents and not to be enablers of policies that hurt them. Congress has an obligation to act as a check on the executive branch, especially when the president exceeds his constitutional authority. It’s not too late for Republicans in Congress to stand up to Donald Trump, stand up for democracy, and uphold Congress’s role as a separate and equal branch of government.”
Source: Welch. 3.4.2025. Washington, DC.
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