US Sen. Jerry Moran warns of Canadian salt tariffs’ effect on Kansas taxpayers

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, wrote a letter to a Trump administration official, urging caution as the U.S. implements 50% tariffs on a variety of Canadian goods. He said he believes in holding trading partners accountable, advocated for "the renewal of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which gives us the negotiating table we can use to resolve disputes such as these." (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA — Ahead of President Donald Trump’s temporary pause on 50% tariffs on Canada, Kansas Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran urged the administration to “consider the consequences” of tariffs on Canadian salt imports, which are a crucial resource for winter road safety.

Moran said Tuesday he was concerned tariffs could disproportionately impact American businesses, local governments and taxpayers. Two major salt companies are based in Kansas — Morton Salt and Compass Minerals — and have mines in Canada.

“I ask you to consider that no matter how duties are handled by the importers, the supply of de-icing salt could be impacted, which could in turn affect state and local governments’ access to a vital public safety tool,” Moran said in a letter to U.S. trade ambassador Jamieson Greer.

Trump proposed the tariffs as part of a July 20 proclamation titled, “Imposing Additional Duties to Offset Canadian Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States with Respect to Motor Vehicles,” and they were set to take effect after midnight on Wednesday. But Trump enacted a three-day pause, delaying steep tariffs on a variety of Canadian goods, including wine, dairy, hockey equipment and salt. 

The U.S. in 2025 imported $159 million of salt from Canada, and much of it came in the form of de-icing salt.

If the costs of salt tariffs are passed onto buyers, they might purchase less if their budgets are tight, Moran said. If importers choose to eat the cost of tariffs, volumes could decrease to maintain steady spending levels, he said.

“As we head into the fall and winter, taxpayers expect the government to be prepared to respond quickly and effectively to keep roads open and the public safe, which requires a reliable supply of de-icing salt,” Moran said.