Montana Farmers Union Look To Join Latest Tariff Lawsuit

Montana Farmers Union Take a Stand on Canadian Tariffs

While every day the news regarding tariffs continues to evolve, here in Montana, a couple of groups aren't waiting for the finalization.

And now we find out that the Montana Farmers Union has filed a motion to join a lawsuit against the Trump administration in regard to the Canadian tariffs.

Treaty Rights & Tariffs: The Blackfeet and MFU Join Forces

The Daily Montanan reports that the Montana Farmers Union has motioned the court to join four Blackfeet tribal members who say the tariffs violate Indigenous treaty rights and exceed presidential authority.

They're referring to the Jay Treaty, which was signed in 1794 and includes provisions allowing all Indigenous peoples, i.e. the Blackfeet, to trade and move freely across what is now the U.S.-Canada border.

"We Can’t Afford More Uncertainty" – MFU Sounds the Alarm

Montana's largest trade partner is our neighbor to the north, to the tune of $869 million in 2024, or 37% of all our exports going to Canada.

This includes $113 million in live cattle; $106 million in dried legumes; $25 million in brewing and distilling dregs; $10.2 million in barley; and $10.1 million in cigarettes, according to information provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

MFU President Walter Schweitzer said in a press release that “The executive branch has overstepped its constitutional and statutory authority on these tariffs. Montana farmers and ranchers can’t afford any more uncertainty or any more financial stressors—especially not random tariffs.”

By joining the case, MFU says this allows them to continue fighting “on behalf of family farmers and ranchers,” something they have been doing since 1912.

Schweitzer continued in his press release, as reported by The Daily Montana. “Farmers and ranchers have invested decades in developing reliable markets for our products. Overnight, these random tariffs have destroyed markets that will take decades to rebuild. This is why the authority to impose tariffs resides in Congress because it provides a forum for public debate and input and ensures the benefit outweighs the harm.”