Asheville – The economic landscape in the United States is rapidly changing due to the announcement of tariffs by the Trump Administration. In Asheville and throughout Western North Carolina, this strategic shift has raised significant concerns among local businesses. A coalition of brewers, farmers, and outdoor equipment manufacturers convened to discuss the direct consequences of these policies on their operations. The gathering provided a platform for stakeholders to express how these strategies, while intended to reduce dependence on international industrial partners, are affecting the local economy.
Concerns Over Rising Costs and Economic Viability
According to Scott Bessent, the new Treasury Secretary, the tariffs are part of a broader plan to realign international economic relationships in favor of domestic production. While this national strategy aims to strengthen American manufacturing, its effects on the Asheville community have led to considerable worries about cost increases and sustainability.
Benjamin Colvin of Devil’s Foot Beverage highlighted the apprehensions affecting a wide segment of the local economy. “I’m joined today by a number of fellow North Carolinians,” said Colvin. “Organic farmers, brewers, outdoor retailers, equipment manufacturers, and we represent a pretty broad sector of businesses.”
Although the exact impacts remain uncertain, all speakers noted that tariffs on materials such as aluminum, steel, and agricultural inputs could raise consumer prices and undermine the feasibility of continuing local production.
Wendy Brugh, owner of Dry Ridge Farm, emphasized the compounding effect these tariffs have on existing agricultural struggles. “These tariffs are pouring salt in a wound that is just now beginning to heal.” Her remarks reflect how these federal policies, although aimed at industrial realignment, are intensifying the burdens already faced by small-scale food producers by adding unexpected uncertainty to the market.
Brugh noted that tariffs could impact “everything from fertilizer and feed to construction materials and tractors. We’re personally faced with the uncertainty of how retaliatory tariffs will affect our largest cost, animal feed,” she said. She also pointed out that the timing of the tariffs in April coincided with when many farmers had already made their financial plans for the year and allocated their spending.
Personal Testimonies Highlighting Economic Strain
Business owners shared firsthand accounts of how tariffs are challenging their operational models. Leah Ashburn, President and CEO of Highland Brewing, the largest natively-owned brewery in North Carolina, spoke about the cost impact. “We need trade policies that offer flexibility, stability, and a fair shot at being competitive and successful so that we can continue to be a brewery and continue to be the community servant that we have always been,” said Ashburn.
The sharp rise in aluminum prices poses a particular threat to the brewery’s economic sustainability. “Most of our beer is put in cans, and our aluminum costs have increased 17% this calendar year and are expected to grow even higher,” Ashburn stated.
Vince J. Tursii III of Dissolver Brewing outlined how this volatility affects planning: “It’s impossible to plan. We are now in Q2 of a business year, and with unknown price hikes and changes consistently going back and forth, it’s been really difficult to understand what the year ahead looks like.” For small businesses trying to navigate these abrupt changes, forecasting and adapting becomes nearly impossible.
Mary Carol Dodd from Red Scout Farm issued a stark warning about the risks to local food systems: “Tariffs would be yet another blow that could push small farms to close their doors; we should be making it easier for family farms to survive—not harder.” Her concern centers on how federal trade measures can unintentionally destabilize the agricultural fabric of communities.
While the Trump Administration’s broader objective may be to restore American industrial dominance and reduce reliance on global supply chains, the testimonies from the Asheville coalition highlight the pressing localized consequences of operational strain and market uncertainty.
Amid the economic stress, Asheville’s spirit of resilience remained evident. Benjamin Colvin concluded his remarks with a rallying vision: “This community has faced a lot in the last year. As we’re all building out of this, as we’re all growing and expanding, we’re not hunkering down anywhere; Asheville grows, we’re strong, we’re proud, we’re active.”
Editor’s note: The Tribune would like to hear from its readers other thoughts on the tariffs being implemented by the President.