Whitmer Asks Treasury to End Food Tariffs

Michigan's governor seeks federal reimbursement for residents facing higher grocery costs under current trade policy.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in International Trade

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a single grocery basket silhouette in deep red and cream, centered on a pale field with a faint horizon line. — Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday to end food tariffs and reimburse residents for higher grocery costs. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer sent a letter Tuesday to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asking the department to end tariffs on food products and reimburse Michigan residents for increased food costs. Michigan Advance has requested comment from the Treasury Department.

Why it matters

Whitmer's letter attributes Michigan families' tariff costs to federal trade policies under the Trump administration and argues the tariff regime has damaged the U.S. relationship with Canada. The request puts state-level grocery expenses at the center of an ongoing federal trade debate.

The figures come from a National Taxpayers Union Foundation estimate cited by Whitmer's office, showing an average $6,485 tariff burden per household since January 2025, the highest in the country. Grocery prices rose 2.4% in 2025 and exports to Canada fell 12.3%, but how much of those changes trace directly to tariffs is not addressed in the source.

The players

Gretchen Whitmer

Gretchen Whitmer is the governor of Michigan, a Democrat who has frequently challenged federal trade and economic policy on behalf of the state's residents and industries.

Scott Bessent

Scott Bessent is the U.S. Treasury Secretary, the cabinet official overseeing the department whose response to tariff relief requests from states is now pending.

National Taxpayers Union Foundation

The National Taxpayers Union Foundation is a nonprofit research organization that publishes analyses of federal tax and spending policy, including estimates of tariff costs by state.

The details

In a letter sent Tuesday, Whitmer asked Treasury to end tariffs on food and to reimburse Michigan residents for higher food costs. The request relies on tariff burden data from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation and frames the costs as a consequence of federal trade policy.

January 2025: Start of the period over which Michigan's average tariff burden is measured.
2025: Grocery prices rose 2.4% and exports to Canada fell 12.3% over the year.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026: Whitmer sent the letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Market Dynamics

Whitmer's request builds on the National Taxpayers Union Foundation's state-by-state tariff burden estimates, which place Michigan's per-household cost highest in the country. The letter uses that ranking to press for federal relief, adding a state-level political dimension to the broader tariff debate.

For Michigan households, the tariff burden described in the letter translates into higher grocery bills, with food prices already up 2.4% in 2025. The request would only change those costs if the Treasury Department ends food tariffs or provides reimbursement, and no response has been issued yet.

The takeaway

Michigan residents should watch for a Treasury Department response, since any change to food tariffs or reimbursement would directly affect grocery budgets. Until then, the $6,485 per-household figure is the most concrete measure of what the tariffs are costing families in the state.