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Source: Canadian Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — With a new distillery set to open soon, the makers of Brough Brothers bourbon in Kentucky were ready to put their business plan into action. They were looking to ramp up whiskey production to break into lucrative new markets in Canada and Europe.

Now the on-again, off-again threat of tariffs has disrupted those plans.

Efforts by the Black-owned distiller to gain a foothold in Canada are on hold, as are plans to break into Germany and France, said Brough Brothers Distillery CEO Victor Yarbrough. That’s because the iconic American spirit’s widening global appeal is caught in the crossfire of trade conflicts instigated by President Donald Trump.

“It’s extremely frustrating,” said Yarbrough, who started the Louisville distilling company with his brothers, Bryson and Chris. “We are collateral damage.”

For distillers looking to sell to consumers of all political stripes, talking politics can be as distasteful as discussing Prohibition. But along with the turmoil and uncertainty over tariffs, bourbon makers and other U.S. firms trying to do business in Canada are confronting public relations challenges still reverberating from the president’s blunt-force “America First” approach to international relations.

With Canadian hockey fans booing the U.S. national anthem and some liquor stores north of the border clearing American spirits from their shelves even before there’s clarity over tariffs, businesses like Brough Brothers are watching to see how the trade conflict plays out.

In the building being converted into the new distillery near the Ohio River, drywall dust covers the floor of the project that the brothers hope will raise the company’s profile in the ultra-competitive bourbon world.

“I believe there’s going to be some type of repair of the relationships that needs to happen,” said Yarbrough, who was hoping, before the trade war erupted, to introduce his bourbon in New Brunswick and later expand to Ontario and other parts of Canada. “So I think some type of media blitz, PR blitz is definitely going to have to take place.”

An expanding market hampered by uncertainty

The trade wars pose an immediate threat to an American-made success story, built on the growing worldwide taste for bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and other products.

Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said the president’s zig-zagging tariff policy is hurting the American economy and will lead to higher consumer prices while disrupting business.

“It’s not just the imposition of tariffs, it’s this month-to-month, ‘I may do it to you at any moment’ policy,” said Beshear, a potential presidential candidate in 2028. “You can’t create stability.”

Trump on Thursday postponed 25% tariffs on some imports from Canada for a month amid fears of the economic fallout from a broader trade war. Yarbrough said his company’s expansion plans are still in limbo.

“It doesn’t change our situation,” he said. “Just as quickly as it changed to a reprieve, it could just as quickly turn into next month that we’re back on.”

For an industry that has to plan well into the future, based on aging its whiskey products, such angst is widespread in Kentucky, which produces 95% of the world’s bourbon supply. At this point even a delay in tariffs wouldn’t alleviate the practical problems confronting U.S. whiskey makers.

“The issue for us is long-term planning, and a postponement does nothing for us in long-term planning except leaves it still up in the air,” said Judy Hollis Jones, president and CEO of Buzzard’s Roost in Louisville, which sells to two provinces in Canada and has been looking to expand.

“Maybe other people adapt to it easier than I do, but I tend to like some certainty,” Jones said.

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association says the newest trade conflicts feel like deja vu. The industry group has long sounded the alarm that tariffs and retaliatory levies would wreak havoc on the spirits industry. Along with the North American trade dispute, the European Union is set to reinstate a tariff by April 1 on American whiskey if nothing is done to head it off.

That trans-Atlantic dispute is a reprise of Trump’s first-term tariffs on European steel and aluminum. The EU’s retaliatory tariff caused American whiskey exports to the EU to plunge 20%, costing distillers more than $100 million in revenue from 2018 to 2021, the Distilled Spirits Council says. Once the tariff was suspended, EU sales rebounded for American distillers.

Threat of ‘irreparable harm’ to distillers

Now, Europe’s infatuation with Kentucky bourbon and other U.S. spirits is threatened by the potential 50% tariff — double the previous levy — that would inflict “irreparable harm to distillers large and small,” said Chris Swonger, the council’s CEO.

Tariffs amount to a tax, which whiskey producers can either absorb in reduced profits or pass along to customers through higher prices — and risk losing market share in highly competitive markets. In 2024, the EU was by far the largest export market for U.S. distilled spirits, followed by Canada, the council said.

Trump maintains that open trade has cost the U.S. millions of factory jobs and that tariffs are the path to American-made prosperity.

Large distillers possess the capital and market reach to ride out disruptions caused by tariffs — built-in luxuries that most small producers don’t have.

Canada accounts for just 1% of total sales for Brown-Forman Corp., the maker of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, and the Louisville-based company could withstand disruptions there, said its CEO, Lawson Whiting.

But Whiting said the decision by Canadian provinces to take American products off store shelves is “worse than a tariff because it’s literally taking your sales away.” He called it “a very disproportionate response to a 25% tariff.”

The threat of a prolonged trade war has Brough Brothers exploring other options. They could lean harder into domestic sales or look for other markets overseas — but again, it’s hard to plan.

“Talking about this is starting to make my head hurt,” Yarbrough said.

For Tom Bard, another Kentucky craft distiller, the risk is that all his hard work to gain a foothold in Canada could evaporate due to the cross-border trade conflict.

Bard and his wife, Kim, own The Bard Distillery in Muhlenberg County in western Kentucky. Their products had penetrated British Columbia and Alberta, but a new purchase order for north of the border is on hold amid Trump’s ever-changing trade war.

“That hurts,” Bard said. “For a small distillery like us, where every single pallet that goes out the door makes a huge difference, that’s huge for us.”

Bard said his team invested heavily to break into Canada, where business grew so quickly that he had hoped it would account for at least 25% of his overall sales this year.

“We’d love to ship as much of it as we can to Canada,” Bard said. “We just expanded our distillery to take advantage of all the global demand for our products. What we hate is that once we get this equipment online this year, that we won’t be able to run it full throttle because we’ll be afraid to put too much inventory away not knowing what’s going to happen.”

The dispute needs to be resolved before Canadian distributors will risk accepting shipments of American spirits, he said.

Bard plans to ramp up domestic distribution to try to make up for lost sales in Canada.

“We’re small-business Americans, so we’re going to make it work,” he said. “But it would be nice to not have these roadblocks.”

___

Associated Press writer Paul Harloff in New York contributed to this report.

Bruce Schreiner And Dylan Lovan, The Associated Press



















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U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner of Texas, who died this month just weeks into first term in Congress, was scheduled to lie in state at Houston City Hall on Tuesday in the first of several public events honoring the former Democratic lawmaker and mayor.

Turner, 70, died on March 5, hours after attending President Donald Trump’s address to Congress in Washington. His family said he died at his home following health complications.

The congressman served as Houston mayor for eight years before he was elected to the House in November to fill the seat held by longtime Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who died in July.

Prior to becoming mayor, Turner served as a legislator in the Texas House of Representatives for 27 years.

Turner is also scheduled to lie in state at the Texas Capitol beginning Thursday. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday in Houston.

Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has not yet announced when a special election will be held for Turner’s seat.

Nadia Lathan, The Associated Press

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“The Apprentice,” the long-running reality TV show that boosted Donald Trump’s profile, will begin streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video, the company announced Monday.

The show’s first seven seasons will be available on Amazon’s streaming platform, with the first season premiering Monday and subsequent seasons arriving every week until late April.

Debuting in 2004, “The Apprentice” and a spinoff, “Celebrity Apprentice,” propelled Trump to national stardom following a string of bankruptcies and bad business deals in the 1990s that had splintered his New York-based real estate empire.

The series, meant to showcase Trump’s business acumen, was a major hit, and Trump’s name became a global brand that helped launch his political career. The show featured contestants taking part in various challenges for a $250,000 salary and a job with The Trump Organization.

Trump expressed enthusiasm for the news on Truth Social and in a statement included in Amazon’s statement.

“I look forward to watching this show myself — such great memories, and so much fun, but most importantly, it was a learning experience for all of us!” Trump said in Amazon’s release.

Amazon’s decision to stream “The Apprentice” is the latest indication the company is attempting to strengthen its relationship with Trump, which was testy during his first term.

In January, Amazon said it would release a new documentary about first lady Melania Trump, promising an “unprecedented behind-the-scenes look” at her life.

Weeks before the November election, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced that The Washington Post, which he owns, would not endorse a presidential candidate, sparking a wave of resignations and thousands of subscription cancellations.

On Monday, a columnist who has worked at the Post for four decades resigned after she said the newspaper’s management decided not to run her commentary critical of Bezos’ new editorial policy. The policy, announced last month, narrows the topics covered by the paper’s opinion section to personal liberties and the free market.

In December, the company said it would donate $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund. The company also streamed the inauguration on its Prime Video service, a separate in-kind donation worth another $1 million.

The Associated Press

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WHITEHORSE — Yukon and the federal government have reached a $7.4-million agreement to improve school food for students in the territory.

The agreement will see the federal government invest the funding over the next three years through the National School Food Program to Yukon, where about 6,200 students currently use the system.

Federal Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jenna Sudds says in a statement that the funding will go toward upgrading kitchens, purchasing food and providing more nutritious meals to students.

Sudds says the improved school meals can ensure that “children can reach their potential because they are focused in the classroom.”

In a separate statement, Yukon Education Minister Jeanie McLean says the funding will “improve students’ physical and mental health, enhances their learning outcomes” and ultimately strengthen local food systems and boost the economy.

Earlier in the day, the federal government also reached a $16-million deal with Saskatchewan and a $42-million agreement with Alberta on enhancing school meals, with both deals also spreading the funding over three years.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2025.

The Canadian Press

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WINNIPEG — Just under 11,000 people have taken out memberships in the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba in time to vote for next month’s leadership race.

Party officials say that’s an increase from the 2,200 members the party had when the race was launched last summer.

The Tories are rebuilding after losing the 2023 election and members will choose between Obby Khan, a member of the legislature and former cabinet minister, and Wally Daudrich, a hotel owner and longtime party board member.

Members will vote, primarily by mail-in ballot, and a winner is to be declared April 26.

One political analyst says Daudrich has an uphill battle against Khan, who is viewed as the establishment candidate with the backing of many caucus members.

Paul Thomas, at the University of Manitoba, says that’s partly because new party rules cap the number of votes in any one constituency, so candidates have to garner broad support across the province.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2025.

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press

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REGINA — Prairie farmers say planned Chinese retaliatory tariffs on Canadian agricultural products are causing loads of uncertainty, while threats of U.S. levies and industry issues have created further problems.

Bill Prybylski, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, says China’s 100 per cent tariffs on canola oil, meal and peas scheduled for next week are already being felt, as markets have taken a hit.

“For anybody that’s forced to sell canola in the near future to pay for input costs going into the spring, it’s going to hurt,” Prybylski, who farms near Yorkton, northeast of Regina, said Monday.

“Almost 10 per cent of the value of canola has just evaporated overnight.”

China imposed the measures in response to Canada slapping the country with duties in the fall against Chinese-made electric vehicles, along with steel and aluminum products.

Beijing is also planning 25 per cent tariffs on pork and aquatic products.

Andre Harpe, chair of the Alberta Canola Producers Commission, said companies have already stopped buying canola.

Harpe, who farms near Grande Prairie, northwest of Edmonton, said tariff threats from the U.S. are making the situation worse.

“It’s kind of like sitting between two elephants right now,” he said, referring to China and the U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump introduced 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods last week then paused some until April 2.

The temporary relief applies to goods that meet the rules-of-origin requirements under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement. It also includes lowering levies on potash to 10 per cent.

A spokesperson with the Canola Council of Canada said the crop is currently not being levied by the U.S.

The organization said total exports of canola to China was almost $5 billion last year, with $938.6 million being oil and meal from the crop. China’s tariff does not apply to canola seed.

Pulse Canada, the industry group that represents pea producers, said $306 million in yellow peas was exported to China last year.

Canola, wheat and pulse crops are predominantly grown on the Prairies, with Saskatchewan making up the most farm area in Canada.

Dean Roberts, chair of SaskOilseeds, said farmers plan their seeding in advance. Any quick changes to those plans could turn out to be the wrong decision, he added.

“I’m still sitting here staring at a spreadsheet kind of questioning where I go from here,” said Roberts, who farms near Coleville in west-central Saskatchewan.

Kyle Larkin, executive director of Grain Growers of Canada, said half of Canadian grain exports go to the U.S. and China.

“Losing access or facing exorbitant tariffs in both markets at once is a threat farmers cannot afford to absorb,” he said in a statement.

“We’re calling on the (federal) government to take immediate action — first, to engage with China to find a resolution and, second, to establish a compensation plan to cover the financial losses farmers are facing.”

Prybylski said the industry is facing other headwinds.

A pause of a biodiesel plant in Regina, which would have used canola meal, hinders the ability of producers to diversity their markets, he said.

The federal government has also approved the acquisition of Viterra Ltd., which has its Canadian headquarters in Regina, by American agriculture company Bunge Ltd.

Prybylski said the acquisition raises fears of reduced competition, which could depress crop prices.

“We will certainly be keeping an eye on that and make sure that farmers aren’t being harmed financially or otherwise,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2025.

Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press

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ATLANTA (AP) — The Trump administration has cut millions of dollars in federal funding from two cybersecurity initiatives, including one dedicated to helping state and local election officials.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, known as CISA, has ended about $10 million in annual funding to the nonprofit Center for Internet Security, a CISA spokesperson said in an email Monday.

It’s the latest move by Trump administration officials to rein in the federal government’s role in election security, which has prompted concerns about an erosion of guardrails to prevent foreign meddling in U.S. elections.

CISA announced a few weeks ago that it was conducting a review of its election-related work, and more than a dozen staffers who have worked on elections were placed on administrative leave. That followed an administration move to disband an FBI task force focused on investigating foreign influence operations, including those that target U.S. elections.

“I have grave concern for state and local election officials and for the security of our elections going forward,” said Larry Norden, an election security expert at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU’s School of Law.

In recent years, CISA has faced sustained criticism from Republicans over past efforts to counter misinformation about the 2020 presidential election and the coronavirus pandemic. Previous CISA leadership had said the agency never engaged in censorship and only worked with states to help them notify social media companies about misinformation spreading on their platforms.

When asked Monday if the review of CISA’s election work was complete and if the agency could share a copy of the report, an agency spokesperson said it was an internal review to “help inform how the agency moves forward to best support critical infrastructure” and was not planned for public release.

The two cybersecurity initiatives facing cuts are the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center, which included state and local election officials along with representatives of voting system manufacturers, and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, which has benefited state, local and tribal government offices.

Both have been organized within a nonprofit, the Center for Internet Security.

The activities no longer being funded include cyber threat intelligence, cyber incident response and engaging with state and local government officials. In a statement, the agency said ending the funding will help “focus CISA’s work on mission critical areas, and eliminate redundancies.”

Following CISA’s decision, the Center for Internet Security posted a notice online that it was no longer supporting the election-specific initiative. A spokesperson for the Center for Internet Security did not respond to questions sent by email about the effects of the cuts.

The National Association of Secretaries of State, comprised of top state election officials from across the country, was seeking information from CISA about the move and its recent election-specific review, said Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat who is president of the bipartisan group.

Simon said he was waiting for more information before drawing conclusions. He said the group’s executive board recently sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urging CISA to continue services to state and local election officials, including support for the election information sharing center.

“We got a lot out of it,” Simon said Monday.

CISA falls under the Department of Homeland Security, although it has its own Senate-confirmed director. President Donald Trump has yet to nominate someone as CISA director. The agency was formed in 2018 during the first Trump administration and is charged with protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure, from dams and nuclear power plants to banks and voting systems.

A spokesperson for the National Association of State Election Directors said the group was hoping to learn more from the Center for Internet Security about the effect of the federal cuts on its operations.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who served as chair of the executive committee for the election information sharing initiative, said it provided crucial support during last year’s presidential election. Election officials were reporting malicious cyberattacks and sharing important details in real time, which she said allowed Maine to preemptively block those attempting to target her state’s networks.

“We will find a way to protect our elections,” said Bellows, a Democrat. “But given the sophistication of these threats, the elimination of the (information sharing initiative) is both inefficient and extremely dangerous.”

Christina A. Cassidy, The Associated Press

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EDMONTON — The Alberta and federal governments have ratified a $42-million agreement to expand meal programs for students.

Officials say the federal money will come over three years and supplements Alberta’s existing school nutrition program.

The federal government says the agreement means Alberta families with two children in school can save an estimated $800 a year on groceries.

Alberta is the last province in Canada to sign onto Ottawa’s national school food program, after Saskatchewan announced an agreement earlier in the day.

The three territories have also joined the program, which was first announced in April 2024.

Alberta’s recently introduced budget proposes an additional $20 million for the provincial school nutrition program.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2025.

The Canadian Press

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WINNIPEG — Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says the search of a landfill for two murdered First Nations women is under budget, as work continues on identifying a set of remains found last month.

The province and the federal government each committed $20 million to search the Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran.

The search began in early December and two sets of remains were recently found at the site.

RCMP have said one set belongs to 39-year-old Harris.

Kinew declined to say what percentage of the allocated funds has been spent so far.

He says the project is “way under budget” because the government is still in the early stage of its search at the Prairie Green landfill.

The premier says the province will consult with the families on what the future may hold once the identification process is complete.

“That’s what we want to discuss, once we’ve had the identification process and time for the families to absorb the information,” he told reporters Monday.

The province expected searchers would be going through 20,000 cubic metres of waste in an area the size of four football fields.

Kinew wouldn’t comment on how much of the area was searched before remains of Harris remains were found.

He said more information would be provided once the identity of the second set of remains has been determined and after consultation with the families and the committee overseeing the search.

Jeremy Skibicki was convicted last year of first-degree murder in the slayings of Harris, Myran and two other Indigenous women.

A trial heard Skibicki targeted the women at homeless shelters in Winnipeg and disposed of their bodies in garbage bins in his neighbourhood.

The remains of Rebecca Contois were found in a garbage bin and at a different landfill. Those of an unidentified woman Indigenous grassroots community members named Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, or Buffalo Woman, have not been found and police have not said where they might be.

It’s believed the remains of Myran also ended up at the Prairie Green landfill.

Police refused to search the site over safety concerns. The Progressive Conservative government at the time also said it wouldn’t support a search, and it touted the decision during the 2023 provincial election campaign.

Last week, the interim leader of the Tories, now in Opposition, apologized in the legislature to the families of Harris and Myran.

Families of the women and Indigenous leaders in the province advocated for years for a search of the landfill, taking their fight to Parliament Hill and the Manitoba legislature.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2025.

The Canadian Press

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Elon Musk pushed debunked theories about Social Security on Monday while describing federal benefit programs as rife with fraud, suggesting they will be a primary target in his crusade to reduce government spending.

The billionaire entrepreneur, who is advising President Donald Trump, suggested that $500 billion to $700 billion in waste needed to be cut.

“Most of the federal spending is entitlements,” Musk told the Fox Business Network. “That’s the big one to eliminate.”

The comments on the popular program and other benefits provided to Americans could rattle politicians on both sides of the aisle as Musk works to downsize the federal government, especially as he already faces blowback for his chainsaw-wielding approach to laying off workers and slashing programs.

Musk’s estimate for the level of fraud in entitlements far outpaces figures from watchdogs like Social Security’s inspector general, who previously said there was $71.8 billion in improper payments from fiscal years 2015 through 2022. That’s less than 1% of benefits paid out during that time period.

Musk also said there were “20 million people who are definitely dead marked as alive in the Social Security database.” However, the leader of the agency has rejected claims about widespread payments to dead people.

“These individuals are not necessarily receiving benefits,” said Lee Dudek, Social Security’s acting commissioner.

The interview with Fox Business was a reminder of Musk’s deep skepticism and even hostility toward the program, which provides monthly benefits to retirees and some children. Trump has promised to defend Social Security from cuts, but Musk has described it as “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time,” and the administration is shutting down some of the agency’s offices.

Musk said Monday that federal entitlements are “a mechanism by which the Democrats attract and retain illegal immigrants by essentially paying them to come here and then turning them into voters.” The allegation echoed the “great replacement” theory, which claims that politicians are trying to expand their power by reshaping the country’s racial demographics.

The interview was conducted in the White House complex by Larry Kudlow, who served as an economic adviser to Trump during his first term. During the conversation, Musk seemed to acknowledge the unusual nature of his role in the administration.

“Frankly, I can’t believe I’m here doing this,” Musk said. “It’s kind of bizarre.”

Musk is the world’s richest person and still runs his private enterprises as he advises the president on ways to overhaul the federal government.

He also thanked Trump for his confidence, saying, “Without the president’s support, we couldn’t make any progress here.”

Trump has publicly backed Musk and given him extraordinary influence over the federal government. However, the Republican president has indicated a shift in approach, saying that Musk’s team would use a “scalpel” rather than a “hatchet.”

Musk has not often spoken publicly since joining the administration, preferring instead to present a stream of consciousness on X, his social media platform. On Monday, he accused Democrats of attacking Tesla dealerships; bragged about X being “the top source for news on Earth;” and accused Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, a former fighter pilot and astronaut, of being a traitor for visiting Ukraine over the weekend.

Musk’s sitdown with Kudlow was his third interview since joining Trump’s administration, and he hasn’t strayed from his ideological safe space. He previously did a joint interview with the president and Sean Hannity of Fox News, and he sat down with Joe Rogan, a podcaster who endorsed Trump last year.

Republicans have spent decades trying to reduce the size and scope of the federal government, and many have cheered Musk’s work.

“The American people are sick of the swamp. They’re sick of waste, fraud and abuse,” said Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, who leads the National Republican Congressional Committee. “For the first time ever, we finally have the tools to affect it. So I think the voters are going to reward us.”

But there are signs of backlash and skepticism. Some Republicans have even boasted of blocking budget cuts.

Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole issued a statement saying three federal offices in his state — the National Weather Center in Norman, the Social Security Administration Office in Lawton and the Indian Health Services Office in Oklahoma City — would stay open.

“I am thrilled to announce that common sense has prevailed,” he said. Cole added that “all three of these places provide vital and valuable services to Oklahomans and I am so proud to have advocated for them.”

About half of Americans said it’s “a bad thing” that Trump has given Musk a prominent role in his administration, according to a mid-February CNN/SSRS poll. Only a third saw it as “a good thing.”

Another mid-February survey by The Washington Post and Ipsos found that Americans were divided on whether Musk is mainly cutting wasteful spending or necessary programs, with about a third falling into each camp. Another quarter said they weren’t sure.

Chris Megerian, The Associated Press

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