WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Kansas farmers are on alert , bracing for how tariffs against Mexico and Canada and retaliatory tariffs could affect their bottom line. Those working in agriculture are waiting to find out the full scope.

Tariffs are coming in at an awkward time of year for growers. That’s because the fertilizer industry relies heavily on Canadian imports .

“We are using a lot of fertilizer ahead of the time when we’re planting our crops, so that’s a concern as those edge upwards,” said farmer Justin Noland.

As someone who grows corn, wheat, and soybeans, Noland says the effects on trade apply to exports, too. He sells his yield to a distributor located in the U.S.

“They’re not willing to pay as much for my grain if they don’t have a market for it,” Noland said. “If the market worldwide has either shrunk because of tariffs or prices have gone down.”

Unsure where change may take him, Noland says he’s alert.

Others say the tariffs will have a decidedly negative impact.

“Especially in a state like Kansas where crops are so incredibly important,” said Jeff Winton, Kansas farmer and chairman of Rural Minds , a nonprofit aimed at helping rural Americans with mental health resources.

Winton is watching the changes closely. He says planning for the worst takes a toll on farmers. So does financial trouble for farms that have been in families for generations.

“Foreclosure, that’s not only going to mean the loss of his job,” Winton said. “It’s going to mean the loss of the ability to pass that on to a generation.”

Noland says that in the long term, if the tariffs continue, he hopes there will be some government relief for farmers.

KSN also talked to the Kansas Livestock Association about what they’re watching out for. The KLA says the livestock industry isn’t very dependent on imports from Mexico and Canada. They’re watching out for retaliatory tariffs.

They don’t yet know what products Mexico could target with its own tariffs on the U.S. Now, Canada, on the other hand, released its initial list but is still expected to announce a second round of retaliatory tariffs if the U.S. tariffs are still in place after 21 days.

“Tariffs that apply to livestock products, so beef, dairy, would be kind of our primary interest,” said KLA CEO Matt Teagarden.

Teagarden says overall in the U.S., Mexico ranks number four and Canada number five in purchasing American beef and dairy exports. He says some cuts of beef are more valuable in places like Mexico. Beef tongue is worth 3-4 times more in Mexico compared to the U.S.

Teagarden says he’d like to see more trade agreements established with more countries.