Over 80 of the nation’s leading trade associations representing thousands of businesses and workers today announced the formation of Americans for Free Trade a multi-industry coalition aimed at opposing tariffs and highlighting the benefits of international trade to the U.S. economy.
This new coalition will immediately join Farmers for Free Trade, the coalition backed by the nation’s largest ag commodity groups, in a multi-million dollar national campaign called Tariffs Hurt the Heartland.
The campaign will focus on telling the stories of the American businesses, farmers, workers and families harmed by tariffs through town-hall style events, grassroots outreach to Congress and the administration, social media, rapid response and digital advertising.
The campaign includes a geographically searchable map (TariffsHurt.com) that allows users to find stories of job losses, deferred investments, higher prices and other negative consequences for farmers and businesses in communities across the country impacted by tariffs.
“This campaign will show how tariffs are squeezing the average American family and community from every direction,” says Farmers for Free Executive Director Trade Brian Kuehl. “If you are in Des Moines, IA, or Harrisburg, PA, it’s not just that tariffs are dropping the value of corn, soy or pork. Increasingly it’s that the price of buying a dishwasher has gone up, or that a local business has put off expansion because of the price of steel or aluminum. By joining with leading retailers, manufactures and services organizations, Farmers for Free Trade will play a big role in showing the comprehensive damage the trade war is having on American communities.”
The campaign will kick-off with events in Chicago, Nashville, Pennsylvania and Ohio during the month of September. Additional events will take place in September and October in key communities throughout the heartland.
