Gov. Kathy Hochul blasted President Donald Trump's long-threatened tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports as they took effect Tuesday — warning they could prove detrimental to New York farmers.

The governor was also expected to publicly rebuke the Trump's administration's efforts to cut federal aid for low-income public schools later in the day, but Hochul did not attend as hundreds of corrections officers and their families protested nearby.

But the governor earlier warned reporters the administration's recent decisions will negatively impact the state and affordability for families.

"This is just the beginning — this is literally just the beginning of what we're gonna be feeling as a result of this administration," she said.

Hochul held a roundtable with agricultural leaders concerned about the new 25% tax on imports from Canada and Mexico, with Canadian energy products subject to 10% import duties, and a 20% tariff on Chinese imports.

China retaliated Tuesday with additional tariffs of up to 15% on a wide array of U.S. farm exports, among other measures, and Canada and Mexico both announced tariffs on American goods.

Hochul said Trump's promised 25% tariffs on goods and energy from Canada and Mexcio will raise costs for families between $1,300 to $3,000 per year, and the price hikes could put New York farmers out of business — especially those who sell products internationally.

"We have 32,000 family farms in the state of New York. That number should be increasing, not decreasing," the governor said. "That is my concern."

The governor also warned that the tariffs could increase costs for consumers on agricultural products like dairy, fruits and vegetables.

"Is that good for the economy to make our farmers who we rely on to support us, who feed us, to drive them out of business?" 

The state exports $22 billion of goods to Canada each year, and relies on the country's northern neighbor for fuel, aluminum, steel and the common fertilizer potash, which could deal another blow to farmers' budget margins.

Strong Economy For All Coalition Executive Director Michael Kink agrees the tariffs will drive income down and costs up for farmers, but state leaders must push back harder on several recent decisions in Washington, as widespread federal layoffs will jeopardize programs that the state relies on, including fewer workers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will leave farmers without resources.

“And the trillion-dollar cuts to healthcare and education and food aid will decimate rural communities across New York," Kink said in a statement. "Hochul needs to fight the Republicans on everything — not just tariffs.” 

Hundreds of people attended the demonstration Hochul was scheduled to speak at Tuesday led by the state teachers' union to fight the proposed federal cuts to public schools. 

State Education Department Commissioner Betty Rosa and other labor leaders led a crowd in West Capitol Park — yards away from correction officers who have participated in the ongoing illegal strike.

Hundreds of people rallied against proposed cuts to the federal program Title One, which helps schools in low-income, rural and urban areas.

"We're all for more efficient government, but let's be clear, what's being proposed are not smart policies," NYSUT President Melinda Person said.

Person said the aid funds speech, reading assistance, school safety, career and technical education and other critical programs.

Labor leaders met with lawmakers about the proposed cuts, which could be up to $330 billion nationally over the next decade, and $5 billion in New York the first year they take effect.

Person says it's up to the state's representatives in Congress to fight the proposal, and not lawmakers in Albany to fill in the funding gaps.

"We're deeply concerned about any cuts to federal funding here in New York state, and we're hopeful that our congressional delegation will stand up and push back and not allow this to happen," she said.

Hochul's focus on the tariffs and federal aid is in line with her pushing a theme of affordability this year as the recent decisions in Washington will likely impact upcoming budget talks.

Trump has said the tariffs will push more products to be made here in the U.S., and it would lead to fewer illegal deadly drugs coming into the country at the northern and southern borders. But Hochul said that's just an excuse, as about 1% of fentanyl in the U.S. comes from Canada.

New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher joined the American Farm Bureau in Washington D.C. on Tuesday as the tariffs took effect. Fisher said the group discussed the tariffs, which have concerned the agricultural community nationwide.

“New York State is No. 2 in the nation for apple production; if Washington state, the No. 1 producer, cannot export apples, they may sell them in New York at a fraction of the normal cost, which would undercut our farmers’ profit margin even further," Fisher said in a statement. "These, along with retaliatory tariffs, are just a few examples illustrating the trickle-down effects of higher tariffs. U.S. dairy farmers exported nearly $9 billion globally in 2024, with the largest portion of these exports going to Canada, Mexico and China. While we support fair trade, our goal is always to provide affordable and accessible food for all New Yorkers while protecting our agricultural markets and lowering input costs for our farmers.”

The farm bureau is a nonpartisan group, and members have said the tariffs are not a partisan issue. They plan to share stories of what farmers experience through the ongoing trade war at both the state and federal levels to fight the policy.