The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says $881 million of Missouri exports are threatened by retaliatory tariffs from China, Canada, Europe and Mexico, but the real number is far larger.
The Chamber launched a campaign Monday denouncing President Donald Trump's tariffs, and it includes an interactive map  showing how each state is hurt by the resulting trade war. It says $881 million of Missouri exports and $3.8 billion of Illinois exports have already been targeted.
The group's list of affected Missouri products, however, omits any mention of China's 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybeans. Soybeans are the state's most valuable cash crop, and the export market is hugely important for farmers. Soybean prices fell 15 percent in June, reflecting the loss of the Chinese market.
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The Chamber got its numbers from the U.S. Commerce Department, which assigns commodities to the state from which they're shipped abroad.Â
The government shows Missouri with a paltry $3.3 million in soybean exports last year, even though the state's crop was worth $2.7 billion and experts say 30 percent of U.S.-grown soybeans are shipped abroad. As a rough estimate, including soybeans would double the amount of Missouri exports affected by retaliatory tariffs.
Other Missouri products hit by China's tariffs include $87 million worth of pork and "offal of swine." Canada's targets include $114 million of Missouri-made fungicides and $85 million worth of Missouri-made soap.
For Illinois, the Chamber does list soybeans, at $1.3 billion, as the most valuable export targeted by China. Canada's top Land of Lincoln target is $156 million worth of bread, pastry, cakes and puddings.
The mysterious missing Missouri soybeans, in all likelihood, are being credited to Louisiana. That state grew a mere $655 million worth of soybeans last year, but it is listed as shipping $5.6 billion worth of them to China.