The Agricultural Leaders of Michigan say they think the new tariffs on steel and aluminum from the European Union, Canada and Mexico will hurt the state's farmers, businesses and rural communities.

"For Michigan agriculture, trade with Canada and Mexico couldn’t be more important," the group said in a statement. "Any new tariffs imposed by the administration will harm American agriculture, and the sting will be even worse in Michigan, where two-thirds of our state’s agricultural exports head to our North American trading partners. We strongly urge the administration to remember the critical importance of trade for Michigan farmers, businesses and rural communities, and reconsider any effort to scale back trade with our leading global customers."

The U.S. had previously granted tariff exemptions to the E.U., Canada, Mexico and other U.S. allies.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Thursday that talks with Canada and Mexico over the North American Free Trade Agreement are "taking longer than we had hoped." He said negotiations with Europe have "made some progress" but not enough to merit an exemption.

The statement from the Agricultural Leaders of Michigan was signed by:

• Dave Armstrong, president and CEO, GreenStone Farm Credit Services

• Jim Byrum, president, Michigan Agri-Business Association

• Gail Frahm, executive director, Michigan Soybean Association

• Mary Kelpinski, CEO, Michigan Pork Producers Association

• Ken Nobis, president, Michigan Milk Producers Association

Since the North American Free Trade Agreement was implemented in 1994, agricultural exports from the U.S. to Canada and Mexico increased from $8.9 billion in 1993 to $39 billion in 2017.