Governor Kotek Directs Agencies on Tariffs, Continues to Monitor Impacts

Oregon joins other states across the nation taking action to understand and mitigate the harm of President Trump’s tariffs

Salem, OR - On July 14, 2025, Governor Tina Kotek joined a growing list of other states including Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Washington raising concerns and taking action to mitigate potential economic consequences of President Trump’s tariff chaos. This includes disruption of essential supply networks across vital sectors of the Oregon economy, such as medical supply chains, food processing, construction, and all facets of Oregon’s manufacturing base.

The Governor issued a directive to state agencies including the Oregon Business Development Department (OBDD), the Oregon Employment Department (OED), the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), and the Department of Emergency Management (OEM) to provide an analysis within 90 days that provides a comprehensive picture of how tariffs are and will continue to impact the state. In Oregon, this action follows a Business Leader Roundtable the Governor convened in the spring to hear directly from Oregon-based businesses impacted by the tariffs. She also launched a survey with Business Oregon to get additional information about impacts to businesses. Governor Kotek stated:

“I don’t like surprises, especially when it comes to Oregonians’ pocketbooks for things like groceries, school supplies, or even medications. We need a full picture of where we anticipate the pain points are for Oregon’s economy.

“People should be able to get what they need from the store at prices they can afford. And businesses need predictable conditions to succeed. When I heard from businesses earlier this year, there was anxiety, uncertainty, and an information vacuum from the federal government. While the Trump Administration has failed to fill in the gaps, there are actions we can do right here in Oregon to be better prepared.

“That’s why I am exercising my authority to direct relevant state agencies to analyze everything from supply chain impact in the agricultural sector to employment trends across industries.”

The Governor’s directive is as follows:

The Oregon Business Development Department, in collaboration with the Oregon Employment Department, shall consider and report on the following:

• Employment trends observed since tariff implementation.
• Industries and economic development regions that are most notably affected by trade-related changes.
• Key challenges reported by Oregon businesses related to the new trade environment and tariff policy.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture shall consider and report on the following:

• Agricultural supply chain disruptions and industry adaptations observed since U.S. tariff implementation.
• Food cost trends and impacts on Oregon consumers.
• Export challenges facing Oregon agricultural sectors.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management shall consider and report on the following:

• Overview of emergency response supply challenges resulting from the new trade environment and tariff policy, including categories of emergency supplies affected by procurement or cost challenges and any notable stockpile or equipment concerns.
• Summary of emergency procurement adjustments resulting from the new trade environment and tariff policy, including changes to sourcing strategies for critical supplies and approaches to maintaining preparedness, within budget constraints.

Following receipt of the above information, observations, and consideration, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services shall prepare and publicly produce a report describing the impact of the Trump Administration’s U.S. Tariff Policy on the State of Oregon based on the information reported.

Where appropriate, the aforementioned agencies shall coordinate with private sector partners, including but not limited to the businesses community, industry associations, labor unions, academic institutions, and other relevant organizations, to gather qualitative and quantitative data regarding the impact of the Trump Administration’s U.S. Tariff Policy on the State of Oregon.