JOHNSTON, IOWA (April 4, 2025) — President Trump announced his global tariff plan during his “Make American Wealthy Again” event on April 2. The plan includes adding a universal tariff of 10% on all US trading partners, effective on midnight, April 5, and roughly sixty of the US’s top trading partners will be subject to higher rates, effective on midnight, April 9. In response, Stu Swanson, Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) President, released the following statement:
“In 2024, nearly five billion bushels of corn and value-added corn products were exported out of the US. Reciprocal tariffs placed on US corn products is of great concern to Iowa corn-growers who are already faced with a troubling economic landscape due to rising input costs and declining corn prices.
“The announcement of today’s tariffs will impact farmers by limiting or diminishing our existing trade channels and relationships. ICGA encourages Pres Trump to work to open new markets for Iowa farmers. With over 95 percent of the global population living outside the US, access to export markets is crucial for farmers. Domestically, there are opportunities to increase the blend rate of ethanol such as E15 for all drivers to access a homegrown, more affordable fuel.
We look forward to the opportunity to work with Trump Administration to expand new markets to create demand for US farmers.
The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) is a 7,500-member strong grassroots-driven organization, headquartered in Johnston, Iowa, serving members across the state, and lobbying on agricultural issues on behalf of its farmer members to create opportunities for long-term Iowa corn grower profitability. For more information, visit iowacorn.org.
