ST. PAUL, Minn. – Federal tariffs are hitting Minnesota entrepreneurs hard, leaving some unable to plan for the future.
Beth Benike, owner of a baby products company in Zumbrota, says the uncertainty is paralyzing her business.
“I can’t plan inventory. I can’t set prices. I can’t make hiring decisions. I can’t invest in growth,” Benike told lawmakers. “Even with tariffs on goods from China at 30%, I can’t afford to bring in my next container. These aren’t cheap Chinese goods—they’re my patented inventions. I manufacture in China because I can’t get them made here.”
Benike testified before a Senate subcommittee that she had to delay her latest shipment after the cost for two containers skyrocketed to $230,000.
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