Virginia exports caught in Canada tariff fight
Virginia exports caught in Canada tariff fight
Shirleen Guerra Tue, August 25, 2026 at 6:01 PM UTC
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The Virginia state flag flies beneath the United States flag. Photo: Virginia State Parks / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 / Cropped from Original
(The Center Square) – Virginia sent about $3 billion in goods to Canada last year, putting the commonwealth’s largest export market in the middle of an escalating American tariff fight with Canada.
Canada accounted for about 15% of Virginia’s $19.1 billion in goods exports in 2025, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Mexico was the state’s second-largest export market at $1.4 billion.
The figures come as first-year Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger presses the Trump administration over its trade policy. Spanberger sent letters Monday to federal commerce, agriculture and trade officials raising concerns about the effects of tariffs and retaliation on businesses, farmers and manufacturers.
Additional 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods took effect Saturday after President Donald Trump delayed them for three days while negotiations continued. The new duties cover about $20 billion in Canadian exports to the United States.
The Trump administration says the tariffs are intended to counter Canadian trade practices that disadvantage U.S. products. The White House has cited Canada’s treatment of American alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motor vehicle trade in imposing the duties.
The dispute matters to Virginia because of its ties to international trade.
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Virginia exported $14.8 billion in manufactured products in 2025. Chemicals accounted for $2.4 billion, while computer and electronic products and transportation equipment each accounted for about $2.2 billion.
More than 6,600 companies exported goods from Virginia locations in 2024. About 84% were small- and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 500 employees.
Virginia goods exports supported an estimated 73,000 jobs in 2023, the latest federal estimate available. Manufacturing exports supported about 54,000 of those jobs.
Virginia also shipped an estimated $1.3 billion in agricultural products abroad in 2024, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture figures. Soybeans accounted for $136 million, livestock products totaled $118 million and broiler meat totaled $117 million.
In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Spanberger urged the administration to restore predictable market access for Virginia agricultural and manufacturing exporters as the United States, Canada and Mexico review the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Canada has announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods beginning Sept. 8 after negotiations between the two countries broke down Friday.
Source: “AOL Money”
