How tariffs are impacting Kansas City’s local economy

Trump’s tariffs are shaking up Kansas City’s economy in direct and varied ways. Local businesses like Kansas City Bier Company now need to pay new import taxes upfront, complicating purchases from Canadian suppliers. Missouri-made goods—such as processed foods, plastics, and auto parts—face extra fees when sold to Canada and Mexico due to retaliatory tariffs.

Lawmakers like Sen. Jerry Moran have argued for more Congressional oversight, while cuts to federal manufacturing support, as seen with Kansas Manufacturing Solutions, leave local manufacturers with fewer resources. All of these shifts contribute to greater uncertainty for Kansas City’s workforce, manufacturers, and exporters with deep ties to Canadian and Mexican markets.

NO. 1: IF TRUMP GETS HIS WAY, MASS DEPORTATIONS WILL HIT OUR WALLETS. KANSAS, ESPECIALLY | OPINION

When and if Donald Trump rounds up and ships out people who make meatpacking towns like Garden City work, we’ll see more than high hamburger prices. | Opinion | Published November 24, 2024 | Read Full Story by Joel Mathis

Boeing will locate the headquarters for its new Global Services division in Plano’s Legacy West development. By Brandon Wade

NO. 2: THESE MISSOURI BUSINESSES LAID OFF MORE THAN 5,000 EMPLOYEES IN MASS LAYOFFS IN 2024

12 WARN notifications impacted Jackson, Clay or Platte counties, totaling more than 2,000 job losses in the Kansas City metro area. | Published December 17, 2024 | Read Full Story by Natalie Wallington

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about a collision involving an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army helicopter during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. By Yuri Gripas

NO. 3: TRUMP TARIFFS WOULD HAVE ‘DAMNING CONSEQUENCES’ FOR KANSAS & MISSOURI FARMS, BUSINESS | OPINION

Kansas and Missouri senators urged to stop President Donald Trump’s planned tariffs on Canada, China Mexico. | Opinion | Published February 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joel Mathis

CORONAVIRUSKC Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler will close all of their factories due to worker fears about the coronavirus. The Ford motor plant in Claycomo, above, will be part of the closure. By File

NO. 4: WHICH ITEMS PRODUCED IN MISSOURI ARE ON CANADA AND MEXICO’S RETALIATORY TARIFFS LISTS?

Missouri imported and exported the most items from Canada and Mexico in 2024, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center. | Published March 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joseph Hernandez

Karlton Graham, head brewer with Kansas City Bier Company, was notified this week that the company would have to pay a tariff for equipment for its canning operation ordered from a Canadian supplier.

NO. 5: ‘MAKES YOU NERVOUS’: KANSAS CITY BREWERY HIT WITH NEW TARIFF FEE AMID TRUMP TRADE WAR

“What I’ve heard is that someday things will be much better than they are now,” Kansas City Bier Company’s head brewer said. “Well, when? How?” | Published March 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Nathan Pilling

Kansas City’s Internal Revenue Service employees are preparing for as many as 1,000 layoffs this week, a sweeping cut that would significantly impact one of the metro’s largest employers. By Tammy Ljungblad

NO. 6: HOW FEDERALLY DEPENDENT IS MISSOURI? SEE HOW IT COMPARES TO OTHER STATES IN NEW STUDY

“For every dollar residents of the top states pay in taxes, they get several dollars back in federal funding, which often leads to higher-quality infrastructure, education, public health and more,” the analysis said. | Published March 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joseph Hernandez

NO. 7: KANSAS CITY IS ONE OF THE MOST CANADIAN EXPORT-DEPENDENT CITIES IN THE US. HERE’S WHY

A recent study by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce says the KC metro area will be hit harder than most by Donald Trump’s trade war. | Published March 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Eleanor Nash

NO. 8: KANSAS SENATORS’ DECISION TO OPPOSE TARIFF REPEAL LEAVES STATE ECONOMY VULNERABLE | OPINION

President Trump’s tariffs on Canada could hurt the state’s farmers and economy. Where were Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran? | Opinion | Published April 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joel Mathis

NO. 9: KANSAS SEN. JERRY MORAN WANTS CONGRESS TO WEIGH IN ON TRUMP TARIFFS

President Donald Trump’s tariffs have sent stocks plunging. Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran wants to reassert Congress’s authority over them. | Published April 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jonathan Shorman

Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids, a Democrat, wants to restore funding to Kansas Manufacturing Solutions, which provides consulting services to businesses in the state.

NO. 10: TRUMP CUT HELP FOR KANSAS MANUFACTURERS. SHARICE DAVIDS WANTS TO RESTORE FUNDS

Kansas Manufacturing Solutions was providing consulting to manufacturing businesses in the state before it lost its federal funding. | Published April 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jonathan Shorman

A recession could complicate efforts to build new stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. By Neil Nakahodo

NO. 11: THE LOOMING ‘BIG CONCERN’ THAT COULD THREATEN CHIEFS’ & ROYALS’ STADIUM EFFORTS

As the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals weigh their futures, economic instability may make politicians and the public less likely to support generous aid packages. | Published April 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jonathan Shorman Kacen Bayless

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.