WISCONSIN — A new report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum found manufacturing and agriculture play an outsized role in Wisconsin’s economy, making exports essential.

What You Need To Know

  • Over the last decade, the value of Wisconsin exports has fallen, according to a new study

  • Manufacturing and agriculture play an outsized role in the state's economy, making exports essential

  • The state's two largest export categories are industrial and electrical machinery, valued at a combined-total of $10.9 billion

  • New tariffs by the Trump administration have made 2025 a bumpy ride for Wisconsin businesses and farmers
 

“We export about $27.5 billion in total exports, so that shows that it’s one of the more vital parts of our total state economy,” Tyler Byrnes, senior research associate, said. 

But since the mid-2010s, the value of those exports has fallen, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum.  

Now, the newest concern is tariffs.

Byrnes said it’s tough to say which specific industry in Wisconsin could be hit the hardest. While he pointed out there will be issues for a variety of industries, he said the uncertainty around the tariffs should be the focus right now. 

“There’s going to be issues in terms of figuring out where to source products from, where to source your steel from, where to source your microchips from. Not being sure about where you’re going to be able to get those things can make long-term decisions about where to build a factory, who to hire, whether to hire or not really tough,” Byrnes said.

Watch the full interview above.

Read the full report below: 

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