Click for more.
Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan shared the latest reports from Michigan state departments finding that surging federal tariffs have driven up costs for working Michigan families. The reports found higher consumer prices, construction and transportation costs, among other economic disasters.*
“We’ve heard over and over again from Michiganders that DC Republicans’ irresponsible tariffs are hurting their pocketbooks, and these newest reports back that up,” said Governor Whitmer. “Michiganders are facing higher prices at the grocery store and the gas pump, and businesses are having to choose between laying off employees or passing costs onto customers. That’s why Michigan is among two dozen states suing over this latest round of tariffs. I’ll keep fighting for a commonsense trade policy that lowers costs, supports businesses at home, and promotes stability for working families. Let’s get it done.”
The latest analysis comes in response to Gov. Whitmer’s executive directive (ED 2026-02) asking certain Michigan state departments to report on the impact of tariffs on Michigan industries and consumers.
Michigan State Department Reports
Last fall, analysis from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) found surging federal tariffs increased food prices, reduced agriculture exports and generated uncertainty throughout Michigan’s food and agriculture industry. That theme has carried over nearly a year later, with MDARD’s newest examination finding, in part:
- “…federal tariffs and erratic federal policy have continued to negatively impact the agriculture industry. Uncertainty has been the only certainty for the agricultural sector nationwide in the past year, but particularly so in Michigan, where the state’s closest trading partner is Canada, one of the countries most frequently caught in the crosshairs of the Trump Administration’s unpredictable and ever-changing trade policies.”
“These tariffs and their damage should not be confused with short-term pain for long-term gain,” said MDARD Director Dr. Tim Boring. “That negative and potentially long-lasting impact weakens Michigan’s competitiveness and disrupts long standing trade relationships, all of which hurts our rural communities, local economies and Michiganders across the state who prioritize Made in Michigan products. If we want to ensure our communities have access to healthy, locally-grown food, we need federal policies that support Michigan industries – not harm them.”
Other Key Findings From The Latest Michigan Agency Reports
- Consumer food prices increased by 3.1% from May 2025 to May 2026, which includes a 6.2% increase in meat, poultry, and fish prices, and a 6.1% increase in fruit and vegetable prices. (MDARD)
- Exports to Canada fell 12.3% last year, signaling severe strain with a country that is our strongest trading partner. (MDARD)
- Ongoing tariff-related cost pressures could result in 350 to 400 fewer affordable homes being produced in Michigan. (Michigan State Housing Development Authority – MSHDA)
- In 2025, the Blue Water Bridge experienced a loss of approximately 190,400 unrealized crossings and a loss of $3.085 million in toll revenue. (Michigan Department of Transportation – MDOT)
- For January to June, monthly average duration of unemployment benefits increased from an average 15.1 weeks in 2025 to 17.4 weeks in 2026, and the year-over-year gap becomes much more pronounced beginning in April. By June, average duration was 17.2 weeks compared with 14.2 weeks last year, a 21% increase. While the extension of maximum benefits from 20 to 26 weeks likely explains much of this increase, longer durations may also be consistent with slower rehiring. (Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity – LEO)
Not only did the analysis reveal that tariffs have damaged Michigan families and the state’s economy, departments also found the cost of efficient and effective government has gone up.
The Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) noted in its report that office supply procurement and construction projects for the state have experienced anywhere from a few thousand dollars to upwards of a 25% increase in cost, though calculating an exact total impact figure remains difficult.
“The full financial impact of federal tariff policy on the state’s procurement efforts and construction projects is very challenging to calculate due to the difficulty of collecting tariff-related costs from our vendors and the ongoing volatility of federal tariff policy,” said Kyle Guerrant, acting director of the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget. “As we move forward, our team will continue to monitor the impact federal tariffs are having on state operations and dedicate time and resources to exploring ways we can mitigate risks and limit the financial impact of tariffs on our procurement and construction operations.”
The published reports come the same week Governor Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel challenged the Trump Administration’s decision to impose tariffs on more than 80 countries.
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Federal Offense! Higher Prices, Transportation Costs, and Other Economic Blows From King Trump Tariffs
Click for more.
Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan shared the latest reports from Michigan state departments finding that surging federal tariffs have driven up costs for working Michigan families. The reports found higher consumer prices, construction and transportation costs, among other economic disasters.*
“We’ve heard over and over again from Michiganders that DC Republicans’ irresponsible tariffs are hurting their pocketbooks, and these newest reports back that up,” said Governor Whitmer. “Michiganders are facing higher prices at the grocery store and the gas pump, and businesses are having to choose between laying off employees or passing costs onto customers. That’s why Michigan is among two dozen states suing over this latest round of tariffs. I’ll keep fighting for a commonsense trade policy that lowers costs, supports businesses at home, and promotes stability for working families. Let’s get it done.”
The latest analysis comes in response to Gov. Whitmer’s executive directive (ED 2026-02) asking certain Michigan state departments to report on the impact of tariffs on Michigan industries and consumers.
Michigan State Department Reports
Last fall, analysis from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) found surging federal tariffs increased food prices, reduced agriculture exports and generated uncertainty throughout Michigan’s food and agriculture industry. That theme has carried over nearly a year later, with MDARD’s newest examination finding, in part:
“These tariffs and their damage should not be confused with short-term pain for long-term gain,” said MDARD Director Dr. Tim Boring. “That negative and potentially long-lasting impact weakens Michigan’s competitiveness and disrupts long standing trade relationships, all of which hurts our rural communities, local economies and Michiganders across the state who prioritize Made in Michigan products. If we want to ensure our communities have access to healthy, locally-grown food, we need federal policies that support Michigan industries – not harm them.”
Other Key Findings From The Latest Michigan Agency Reports
Not only did the analysis reveal that tariffs have damaged Michigan families and the state’s economy, departments also found the cost of efficient and effective government has gone up.
The Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) noted in its report that office supply procurement and construction projects for the state have experienced anywhere from a few thousand dollars to upwards of a 25% increase in cost, though calculating an exact total impact figure remains difficult.
“The full financial impact of federal tariff policy on the state’s procurement efforts and construction projects is very challenging to calculate due to the difficulty of collecting tariff-related costs from our vendors and the ongoing volatility of federal tariff policy,” said Kyle Guerrant, acting director of the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget. “As we move forward, our team will continue to monitor the impact federal tariffs are having on state operations and dedicate time and resources to exploring ways we can mitigate risks and limit the financial impact of tariffs on our procurement and construction operations.”
The published reports come the same week Governor Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel challenged the Trump Administration’s decision to impose tariffs on more than 80 countries.
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.