ICYMI: Van Orden refuses to restore SNAP cuts, protect rural hospitals, or provide relief to farmers during Farm Bill markup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

ICYMI: Van Orden refuses to restore SNAP cuts, protect rural hospitals, or provide relief to farmers during Farm Bill markup


LA CROSSE, Wis. — During last week's Farm Bill markup in the House Agriculture Committee, Congressman Derrick Van Orden repeatedly voted against his constituents, blocking efforts to restore food assistance cuts already harming Wisconsin families, rejecting relief for rural hospitals, and refusing to require basic transparency before new tariffs hit Wisconsin farmers.

Van Orden cast the following votes on amendments during markup:

"Derrick Van Orden had multiple opportunities last week to stand up for the families, farmers, and rural communities he represents and he failed," said Meghan Roh, Program Director of Opportunity Wisconsin. "Wisconsin farmers are getting squeezed by tariffs, rural hospitals are struggling to keep their doors open, and tens of thousands of Wisconsinites are at risk of losing food assistance. Van Orden needs to answer to his constituents and explain why he keeps putting the interests of big corporations and the ultra-wealthy over the people of the Third District."

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TARIFF TUESDAYS - MARCH 10TH, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org

Your weekly update on how Trump’s tariff chaos is hitting Wisconsin families and small businesses — and what Congress is (not) doing about it.
 

ROUNDTABLE ROUNDUP: La Crosse Small Business Owners Sound the Alarm

Last week, Opportunity Wisconsin and Main Street Action hosted a roundtable in La Crosse with small business owners from across western Wisconsin to discuss how tariffs are raising costs, hurting sales, and threatening livelihoods. The message was consistent: working families and small businesses are paying the price for tariff chaos, while Congressman Derrick Van Orden has stayed silent on new tariffs and voted multiple times for illegal tariffs that have driven costs up for months.

Mike Grady, owner of Elite Tonewoods in West Salem, told WIZM that his purchasing and sales are down about 30 percent from the prior year — and he linked that directly to the tariffs. The La Crosse Tribune also highlighted the challenges facing participants:

  • "We're still a small company, but we import almost half a million pounds of coffee a year from around the world,"said TJ Semanchin, owner of Wonderstate Coffee. "This is a product that we can't replace domestically."
     

  • "My sweet rice flour has gone up 53% in the last year, and tapioca starch has gone up 68%, unsweetened cocoa powder has gone up 43%, white premier chocolate has gone up 74% in the last year, chocolate chips have gone up 50%. That's significant," said Sarah Burns, owner of Omega Bakery in Holmen.
     

  • "I've had growth for seven years straight. This past year, I would say my purchasing was down 30% from what it would have been... I directly blame that on tariffs and uncertainty," said Grady.
     

  • "If he cares about the economy in western Wisconsin, we really need them to repeal all the tariffs," Semanchin said, speaking directly to Van Orden.

Read more: WIZM | La Crosse Tribune | News 8000

BY THE NUMBERS: Wisconsin Businesses And Consumers Paid $3.5 Billion in Tariffs

A new report puts a staggering price tag on what tariffs have cost the Badger State. Wisconsin companies and their consumers paid approximately $3.5 billion in tariffs between March and December 2025. And since President Trump began implementing tariffs during his first term, Wisconsin importers have paid $8.9 billion in total — meaning more than a third of all tariffs paid since 2018 were paid in 2025 alone.

Congressmen Van Orden and Steil have both voted multiple times for illegal tariffs and have refused to speak out as President Trump is set to implement new 15 percent global tariffs.

Read more from the Wisconsin State Journal

JOBS REPORT: Tariffs Still Aren't Creating the Manufacturing Boom They Promised

Friday's jobs report was another piece of bad economic news fueled, in part, by ongoing tariffs. The report showed the economy lost 92,000 in February — the third time in five months that employment went down — and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4%. The report is a sign that the economic uncertainty created by tariffs continues to weigh on employers.

One number stands out in particular: manufacturing, an industry that Republicans claimed would be boosted by tariffs, lost another 12,000 in February. 

With a 150-day clock ticking on Trump’s new tariffs, it’s time for Van Orden and Steil to speak out and put Wisconsin families and businesses first.

Read more from CNBC

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ICYMI: La Crosse small business owners sound the alarm on tariff costs, call on Van Orden to act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

ICYMI: La Crosse small business owners sound the alarm on tariff costs, call on Van Orden to act

La Crosse Tribune and News 8000 highlight Opportunity Wisconsin and Main Street Action roundtable discussion


LA CROSSE, Wis. — Yesterday, Opportunity Wisconsin and Main Street Action hosted a roundtable in La Crosse with small business owners from across the region to discuss the real costs tariffs are having on their businesses and their customers. The event followed the Trump administration’s announcement earlier this week that new global tariffs would increase to 15%, further driving up costs for families and small businesses.

Participants highlighted Congressman Derrick Van Orden’s previous votes in favor of illegal tariffs that were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Van Orden has remained silent on new tariffs and refuses to stand up to the Trump administration as they continue to threaten the success of entrepreneurs across Wisconsin.

While costs continue to rise, new economic data released today showed an unexpected 92,000 jobs lost across the country in February while unemployment increased.

La Crosse Tribune: Uncertainty, cost of tariffs hit River Valley Region businesses hard, local owners say

  • "We're still a small company, but we import almost half a million pounds of coffee a year from around the world," said TJ Semanchin, owner of Wonderstate Coffee in Viroqua. "This is a product that we can't replace domestically."
     

  • Omega Bakery owner Sarah Burns said ingredient costs for her gluten-free bakery in Holmen have risen significantly due to tariffs.
     

  • "My sweet rice flour has gone up 53% in the last year, and tapioca starch has gone up 68%, unsweetened cocoa powder has gone up 43%, white premier chocolate has gone up 74% in the last year, chocolate chips have gone up 50%. That's significant," Burns said. "We're not growing these specialty flours that I need to make gluten-free baked goods. … Everything I get from outside of the country has increased significantly in the past year."
     

  • "My business had been growing pretty significantly year after year, until 2025, when I had an 8% decrease in sales – but it wasn't a decrease in customers. People were just not buying as much," she said.
     

  • "I've had growth for seven years straight. This past year, I would say my purchasing was down 30% from what it would have been. … Likewise, my business is down that much," said Michael Grady, owner of Elite Tonewoods, a wood supplier in West Salem. "I directly blame that on tariffs and uncertainty."
     

  • "I think it's really important that folks in D.C. understand how this is impacting small businesses," Semanchin said. "It feels that the largest weight of this is on small family businesses. If he cares about the economy in western Wisconsin, we really need them to repeal all the tariffs."
     

News 8000: La Crosse business owners discuss tariff impacts with county supervisor

  • Small business owners in La Crosse County are voicing concerns about how tariffs are affecting their operations, meeting with local officials to discuss the economic impact on their companies.
     

  • Business owners gathered with La Crosse County Supervisor Kelly Leibold to address how trade policies are affecting local enterprises.
     

  • The meeting brought together representatives from various industries to discuss the challenges they face due to increased import costs.
     

  • "Everything was slowed down; everything was more expensive. Aside from the tariffs, the fees from customs and border patrol have gone up," said Mike Grady, owner of Elite Tonewoods.

 

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Ahead of farm bill markup, Opportunity Wisconsin calls on Van Orden to reverse SNAP cuts hurting Wisconsin families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Ahead of farm bill markup, Opportunity Wisconsin calls on Van Orden to reverse SNAP cuts hurting Wisconsin families

Following SNAP cuts going into effect in March, 49,000 Wisconsinites are at risk of losing benefits


MADISON, Wis. — As the House Agriculture Committee prepares to mark up a new Farm Bill today, Opportunity Wisconsin is calling on Congressman Derrick Van Orden, who is a member of the committee, to support rolling back the SNAP cuts he voted for in the Republican Tax Law. SNAP cuts went into effect at the beginning of March, threatening food assistance for families across Wisconsin.

The Republican Tax Law, which Van Orden voted for, was the largest cut to federal nutrition programs in history. The cuts put roughly 49,000 Wisconsinites at risk of losing some of their SNAP benefits, just to give new tax breaks to billionaires. Just last week, Van Orden refused to take accountability for these cuts when approached by a La Crosse teacher visiting the Capitol. 

Today, House Democrats will offer amendments during the Farm Bill markup that would repeal these cuts and restore federal nutrition commitments. Van Orden has a clear opportunity to side with Wisconsin families and to reverse the damage he helped create.

"Congressman Van Orden voted to cut food assistance for Wisconsin families. Now, those cuts are real and they’re making it tougher for tens of thousands of Wisconsin families to put food on the table," said Meghan Roh, Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director. "Today, Congressman Van Orden has an opportunity to fix this. He must stand with the families in his district who are already feeling the pain of these cuts and vote to restore funding for SNAP."
 

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TARIFF TUESDAYS - MARCH 3RD, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org

Your weekly update on how Trump’s tariff chaos is hitting Wisconsin families and small businesses — and what Congress is (not) doing about it.

IN KENOSHA: Black-Owned Business Owners Sound the Alarm

Opportunity Wisconsin held a roundtable last week at Bigg Mike's barbershop in Kenosha, where Black-owned small business owners shared how tariffs and Republican economic policies are hitting them where it hurts. The conversation was covered by the Kenosha News — and the message was clear: these aren't abstract policy debates. They're about whether businesses can keep the lights on.

Hair product costs are up. Food costs are up. And customers — squeezed by the same rising prices — are cutting back on everything from haircuts to restaurant visits to travel. Mike Johnson, owner of Bigg Mike's, said his regulars are coming in less often. Union Park Tavern owner and state Rep. DeSmidt said eating out is now considered a luxury. And travel business owner and Opportunity Wisconsin organizer Cierra Chesir spoke about the challenges she’s facing: "My business has taken a huge hit because I have clients who consistently book trips with me every year. They've told me that they just don't have it in their budget to travel."

Javantae Peet, a Racine business owner, added a challenge unique to minority-owned businesses: "When it comes to minority businesses, most of the time we're self-funded. We don't have access to capital that our counterparts do." 

Congressman Bryan Steil voted multiple times to keep illegal tariffs in place. He has stayed silent about the new 10% global tariff that went into effect last week.

Read the full Kenosha News coverage here.

WHAT TARIFFS? Vance Visits Wisconsin, Doesn't Mention Tariffs Once

Vice President JD Vance did not utter the word "tariffs" a single time during his speech at a Plover, Wisconsin machining plant last Thursday Wisconsin Examiner — even as new tariffs were taking effect. 

The disconnect between the message and the reality was hard to miss. Sachin Shivaram, CEO of Wisconsin Aluminum, told reporters: "I can tell you from my experience running our company, from everyone I talk to in my networks — 95% of people in manufacturing, 99% do not support the tariffs. It's costing all of them, all of us, a lot of money." 

Van Orden stood on stage with Vance and said nothing about tariffs either. That's not a coincidence — it's a pattern. Both Van Orden and Steil have voted repeatedly to support Trump's illegal tariffs and block congressional efforts to challenge them. Now, with a new 10% global tariff in effect and a 150-day congressional clock ticking, Wisconsin families and businesses are still waiting for either congressman to say a word.

Read more from the Wisconsin Examiner.

BY THE NUMBERS: Majority Of Wisconsin Voters Say Tariffs Are Hurting Farmers

The latest Marquette University Law School poll — released the day before Vance's visit — makes clear that Wisconsin families aren't buying the "Golden Age" spin. Across partisan affiliations, the rising cost of living is voters' number one concern, and 55% of respondents said tariffs are hurting Wisconsin farmers. 

That's the reality that Van Orden and Steil wish they could ignore. Recent reporting shows farm bankruptcies spiking in Wisconsin as costs continue to increase. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, bankruptcies were up 46% in 2025 compared to the previous year.

This poll is a reminder that Wisconsin families are watching their costs rise and they won’t ignore it.

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Tariff Tuesdays - February 24th, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Your weekly update on how Trump’s tariff chaos is hitting Wisconsin families and small businesses — and what Congress is (not) doing about it.


Welcome to Opportunity Wisconsin’s new weekly feature, Tariff Tuesdays! As President Trump and Republicans in Congress continue to stand by costly tariffs that are squeezing small business owners and families across Wisconsin, we’ll be highlighting the latest tariff news each week. 

NEW AD: A Wisconsin Coffee Roaster Speaks Out

Opportunity Wisconsin today released a new ad featuring TJ, co-owner and president of Wonderstate Coffee in Viroqua. Wonderstate roasts half a million pounds of coffee a year and employs 85 people — and tariffs are crushing them.

"We're roasting half a million pounds of coffee a year and we employ 85 people. But these tariffs are crushing us. You're looking at $100,000 in tariffs right here. That's on top of all of our other supplies getting more expensive. We've had no choice but to raise prices. Congressman Derrick Van Orden voted to support the tariffs. And he called them a success. That doesn't feel like success to me. All I see are higher prices. We need to tell Derrick Van Orden to stop raising our costs." — TJ, Wonderstate Coffee


THIS WEEK: Supreme Court Strikes Down Tariffs. Trump Doubles Down. Van Orden and Steil Stay Silent.

In a 6-3 ruling last Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Trump's sweeping tariffs were unconstitutional — finding that the power to tax belongs to Congress, not the executive branch. It was a landmark decision that should have given Wisconsin's congressional delegation an opening to stand up for working families and small businesses. Instead, Congressmen Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil have said nothing.

Rather than accept the ruling, Trump immediately announced a new 10% global tariff under a separate legal authority — then raised it to 15% the following day. The 10% global tariff took effect this morning. The new tariff is the legal maximum allowed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 and can remain in place for up to 150 days before Congress must vote to extend it.

That means another vote on tariffs could be coming. And Van Orden and Steil's records offer little reason for optimism. Both congressmen have repeatedly voted to support Trump's tariffs and block Congress from challenging them — including voting against a resolution earlier this year to stop tariffs on Canada. When given a clear opportunity to stand up for Wisconsin families and small businesses, they chose to stand with the tariffs instead.

Details on how tariffs are hitting Wisconsinites are in Opportunity Wisconsin’s new reports, “Paying the Price” released yesterday. Check them out here: WI-01, WI-03


BY THE NUMBERS: The Tariff "Tax Cut" Math Doesn't Add Up

The Trump administration has been touting bigger tax refunds this year as proof that working families are coming out ahead. A new report from the Center for American Progress shows why that claim doesn't hold up.

Fewer than half of Americans making less than $100,000 will see an increased refund this year — while 93% of those making over $100,000 will. The tax law's biggest benefits flow to those earning more than $200,000.

Meanwhile, tariffs are costing the average family between $1,250 and $1,750 annually — roughly two to three times the size of the average tax refund. And for lower- and middle-income families, the expiration of Affordable Care Act health care tax credits amounts to a $27 billion tax increase this year that wipes out whatever refund bump they might see.

The bottom line: for most Wisconsin families, the tariff tax is bigger than the refund check. And Van Orden and Steil voted for both.
 

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Desperate Derrick: Rep. Van Orden Fawns Over Trump, Only To Be Ignored

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Desperate Derrick: Rep. Van Orden Fawns Over Trump, Only To Be Ignored

Van Orden repeatedly tried to get Trump's attention at the State of the Union — and was ignored. Wisconsin families wishing Van Orden paid them the same attention aren't laughing.


LA CROSSE, WI — A video from Tuesday night's State of the Union shows Congressman Derrick Van Orden making repeated attempts to get President Trump's attention as he passed through the House chamber. Trump didn't stop.

t's a fitting image. Van Orden has spent his time in Congress doing almost everything Trump has asked — voting for tariffs that raise costs for Wisconsin families, cutting food assistance for Wisconsin children and veterans, and supporting a budget that strips health care from Wisconsinites — and still couldn't get a moment of the president's time. During the State of the Union address Van Orden also cheered when Trump mentioned the millions of Americans who have been removed from food assistance, after previously saying he would not support cuts to benefits.

Van Orden voted for the Republican Tax Law that cuts Medicaid, slashes SNAP benefits, and raises costs for working families — all to fund tax breaks for billionaires. He admitted himself that the bill cuts food assistance for children. He has refused to hold open town halls to answer for any of it.

"Derrick Van Orden has spent his time in Congress voting for tariffs that raise grocery prices, cutting food assistance for Wisconsin children, and stripping health care from over 100,000 Wisconsinites — all to hand more tax breaks to billionaires,” said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. “Tuesday night we saw him desperately trying to get Trump's attention while his own constituents can't even get a town hall. Wisconsin families deserve a congressman who fights for them, not one who fights for a photo op." 
 

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New ad highlights how Van Orden-backed tariffs are squeezing Wisconsin small businesses and families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org

New ad highlights how Van Orden-backed tariffs are squeezing Wisconsin small businesses and families

WATCH: Viroqua coffee roaster TJ shares how Van Orden's support for tariffs is crushing his small business and forcing him to raise prices

VIROQUA, Wis. – Opportunity Wisconsin today released a new ad holding Congressman Derrick Van Orden accountable for his votes supporting tariffs that have raised costs for Wisconsin small businesses and families.

The ad features TJ, co-owner and president of Wonderstate Coffee in Viroqua. Wonderstate roasts half a million pounds of coffee a year and employs 85 people. TJ speaks directly about the impact of tariffs on his business, which have sent the cost of coffee beans soaring – on top of other rising expenses – that have left him no choice but to raise prices for his customers.

"Congressman Van Orden's votes are making life harder for Wisconsin small business owners and families alike," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "TJ and his business employ people across Wisconsin and are giving back to communities, but Van Orden's support for these reckless tariffs is crushing them. And while small businesses are struggling to stay afloat, Van Orden is out there calling the tariffs a success. That's out of touch and Wisconsin families deserve better."

Van Orden has repeatedly voted to support President Trump's tariffs and block Congress from challenging them, including voting against a resolution to remove tariffs on Canada earlier this month. Retail coffee prices have surged nearly 21% thanks to new tariffs on major coffee-producing countries. Rather than working to lower costs for Wisconsin families and small businesses, Van Orden called the tariffs "a success." 

While the U.S. Supreme Court struck down many tariffs last Friday, President Trump has quickly acted to reinstate costly tariffs and Van Orden has remained silent.

The latest ad is a continuation of Opportunity Wisconsin’s paid media buy in the Third Congressional District. “Coffee” will begin airing today on broadcast and cable in the La Crosse and Eau Claire market. In addition to the TV ad, Opportunity Wisconsin released two digital ads featuring TJ’s story, “Headache” and “Final Straw.” 

"Coffee" Transcript: 

TJ: "We're roasting half a million pounds of coffee a year and we employ 85 people. But these tariffs are crushing us. You're looking at $100,000 in tariffs right here. That's on top of all of our other supplies getting more expensive. We've had no choice but to raise prices. Congressman Derrick Van Orden voted to support the tariffs. And he called them a success. That doesn't feel like success to me. All I see are higher prices. We need to tell Derrick Van Orden to stop raising our costs."

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