Tariffs may be an international issue, but some warn that their impact is putting animal health in jeopardy.
The concern centers around production, with most vaccines and antibiotics made overseas. One large animal veterinarian says costs on critical imported products could go up, forcing tough decisions on the ground.
“A lot of the products, vaccines for example, aren’t necessarily manufactured here in the U.S., so they might come from China, come from India, Brazil. Well, if we’re putting tariffs on products coming into the U.S., what does that do to those products? More expensive, right? And so then, if you’re in a situation where margins are pretty small, what do you do? Maybe you cut preventative care, and so vaccines might be a place that you delay a vaccine program, or maybe you cut it all altogether, and so thinking about this animal health investment,” said Dustin Pendell with the World Organization for Animal Health.
Animal health costs are a small part of a rancher’s budget, but skipping preventative care can put herds at risk. Animal health officials admit that while tariffs might lead to short-term price hikes, it could encourage more vaccine manufacturing here in the United States.
A look at the legislative year ahead as lawmakers return to Washington with a slate of trade concerns to tackle in 2026—from new Chinese tariffs on beef imports to the USMCA review this summer.
January 05, 2026 12:20 PM
·
December 18, 2025 10:20 AM
·
Fertilizer markets face uncertainty after President Trump raised the possibility of tariffs on Canadian imports, with analysts warning of supply and pricing risks. Josh Linville with StoneX provides a fertilizer industry outlook.
December 15, 2025 01:35 PM
·
Strong Farm Credit finances help cushion producers, but prolonged low crop margins could strain renewals in 2026.
December 12, 2025 11:42 AM
·
Canadian tariffs would raise costs for potash, ammonia, and UAN, increasing spring fertilizer risk.
December 11, 2025 01:16 PM
·
Tariff relief and new trade agreements may temper food costs by reducing import costs.
December 09, 2025 11:55 AM
·
$11 billion will go to row-crop farmers immediately, with $1 billion set aside for specialty crops.
December 08, 2025 03:19 PM
·
December 08, 2025 10:05 AM
·
American soybean and corn leaders, along with Canada’s AgriFood sector, testified before the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office in support of the trade pact between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
December 05, 2025 12:29 PM
·
