Greg Cunningham: Business Leaders In New Mexico Were Concerned About The Impact Of Trump’s Tariffs On Agriculture And Small Businesses

A Representative From The South Valley Economic Development Center Said The Organization’s Produce Aggregation Facility Was Held Up For Two Months Until They Paid A Tariff “Ransom Of $47,000”

Briana Smith Of The South Valley Economic Development Center Said A Tariff Bill Held Up The Organization’s New $5 Million Produce Aggregation Facility By Two Months. “Briana Smith of the South Valley Economic Development Center said a tariff bill held up the organization’s new $5 million produce aggregation facility by two months. ‘We received a tariff — almost a ransom of $47,000 — before they would release our equipment,’ Smith said, describing processing machinery essential to connecting New Mexico farmers with consumers statewide. She said farmers are already scaling back. ‘We’re not going to have the same crops that we had in years past. Green chile takes a lot of water, a lot of fertilizer — that is a given.’” [New Mexico Political Report, 5/7/26]

Briana Smith Of The South Valley Economic Development Center Said The Organization Had To Pay A Tariff “Ransom Of $47,000” In Order For The Organization’s Processing Equipment To Be Released. “Briana Smith of the South Valley Economic Development Center said a tariff bill held up the organization’s new $5 million produce aggregation facility by two months. ‘We received a tariff — almost a ransom of $47,000 — before they would release our equipment,’ Smith said, describing processing machinery essential to connecting New Mexico farmers with consumers statewide. She said farmers are already scaling back. ‘We’re not going to have the same crops that we had in years past. Green chile takes a lot of water, a lot of fertilizer — that is a given.’” [New Mexico Political Report, 5/7/26]

• The South Valley Economic Development Center Was A Certified Business Incubator Located In Albuquerque’s South Valley And Supported Local Growers And Business By Providing A Site For Manufacturing/Production Of Value-Added Products. “SVEDC is a certified business incubator located in Albuquerque’s South Valley. It serves as both the business incubator for clients located in the 15,000 square foot building and users of the commercial kitchen, and as an economic development catalyst for the unincorporated area nearby. The Center supports local growers and business by providing a site for manufacturing/production of value-added products and establishing networks among businesses, growers, distributors, and retailers. It also provides clients with technical assistance in the development of small business and educational and media campaigns.” [Finance New Mexico, accessed 5/12/26]

A New Mexico Nonprofit Business Leader Said Economic Uncertainty From Tariffs Were Pushing Small Business Owners Toward Predatory Lenders

WESST President And CEO Lindsey Kay Said Economic Uncertainty From Tariffs Were Pushing Small Business Owners Toward Predatory Lenders. “Heinrich gathered small business owners, food bank leaders, and workers at the Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team (WESST) Albuquerque headquarters to discuss how federal tariff policy and rising energy costs are straining household budgets and threatening jobs across the state. ‘The administration right now is making policy choices that are showing up in our costs,’ Heinrich said. ‘The tariffs that have been put in place — those are direct feeding costs to every small business.’ […] WESST President and CEO Lindsey Kay said the uncertainty is hitting small businesses statewide as hard as the cost increases themselves. ‘It’s hard to do your cost projections and know how to prepare if you don’t know what’s going to be happening with costs around supply chains,’ Kay said. She added that rising costs are pushing more small business owners toward predatory lenders. ‘When you find that you’re in an environment where costs are increasing and there’s a ton of uncertainty, that creates a higher risk for folks to be more vulnerable to those types of tactics.’” [New Mexico Political Report, 5/7/26]

• Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team (WESST) Was A Statewide Nonprofit That Coached, Trained, And Incubated Small Businesses In New Mexico. “U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) met with a group of small business owners and entrepreneurs in Albuquerque on Thursday to discuss how the effects of tariffs, the Iran war and rising fuel costs are increasing their cost of doing business and vowed to ‘push back against policies that don’t make sense.’ […] Heinrich met with the group at the offices for the Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team, a statewide nonprofit that coaches, trains and incubates small businesses.” [Source New Mexico, 5/7/26]

A New Mexico Small Business Owner Said Trump’s Tariffs Raised The Price Of Raw Materials And Forced The Business To “Pivot And Figure Out How We Can Save” To Avoid Layoffs

Chrystal Trykoski, The Co-Owner Of A New Mexico Soapmaking Business, Said Raw Material Costs Climbed Sharply Since 2023, Jumping From 49 Cents To 75 Cents For Soap Sampler Boxes And Rising By 126% For Coconut Oil. “New Mexico families are spending hundreds — or thousands — of dollars more each year on gas, groceries and basic necessities, and U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich heard directly from those feeling it hardest Thursday at an Albuquerque roundtable. Heinrich gathered small business owners, food bank leaders, and workers at the Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team (WESST) Albuquerque headquarters to discuss how federal tariff policy and rising energy costs are straining household budgets and threatening jobs across the state. […] Chrystal Trykoski, co-owner of Enchanting Soap Collections, said her raw material costs have climbed sharply since 2023. The price of soap sampler boxes jumped from 49 cents to 75 cents, she said, and coconut oil costs have risen 126 percent. ‘We’re constantly trying to pivot and figure out how we can save — not only ourselves money, but we need our products to sell to keep these women employed,’ Trykoski said. Her company employs women recovering from addiction and incarceration, and recently hired a survivor of human trafficking.” [New Mexico Political Report, 5/7/26]

• Trykoski Said Rising Costs And Economic Uncertainty Due To Trump’s Tariffs Meant Her Business Was “Constantly Trying To Pivot And Figure Out How We Can Save” To Avoid Layoffs. [New Mexico Political Report, 5/7/26] “Heinrich gathered small business owners, food bank leaders, and workers at the Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team (WESST) Albuquerque headquarters to discuss how federal tariff policy and rising energy costs are straining household budgets and threatening jobs across the state. […] Chrystal Trykoski, co-owner of Enchanting Soap Collections, said her raw material costs have climbed sharply since 2023. The price of soap sampler boxes jumped from 49 cents to 75 cents, she said, and coconut oil costs have risen 126 percent. ‘We’re constantly trying to pivot and figure out how we can save — not only ourselves money, but we need our products to sell to keep these women employed,’ Trykoski said. Her company employs women recovering from addiction and incarceration, and recently hired a survivor of human trafficking.” [New Mexico Political Report, 5/7/26]
• New Mexico Political Report Headline: “From Green Chile To Film Sets: New Mexicans Describe The Crushing Weight Of Tariffs And War-Driven Costs.” [New Mexico Political Report, 5/7/26]