Greensboro, Vt., sees steep drop in Canadian visitors after Trump tariffs and threats

Greensboro, a small Vermont town long known for Jasper Hill cheeses and Hill Farmstead beer, has seen a sharp fall in Canadian visitors since President Trump took office, reporting from Greensboro said. Town businesses that relied on cross-border customers say relations frayed after Mr.

Trump’s threats to make Canada the “51st state,” his claims about cross‑border drug smuggling and new tariffs. Willey’s Store, a longtime draw for buyers of Jasper Hill cheeses, lost overall sales of 33 percent last year, including about $14,000 in Jasper Hill cheese sales, the report said.

Hill Farmstead estimated a 25 to 30 percent hit “directly attributable” to damaged relations with Canada, Bob Montgomery, the company’s director of brand quality, told the paper. State data cited in the story found border crossings into Vermont fell 30 percent in 2025 versus 2024, while credit‑card spending by Canadian visitors fell by half.

Jasper Hill Farm had been expanding in Canada and was on track to make $500,000 in annual Canadian sales, with hopes of reaching seven figures, but that progress stopped abruptly. Co‑founder Mateo Kehler said, “In February, it just ended.” The farm also paid tens of thousands of dollars in tariffs on specialized equipment imported last year and saw some replacement parts double in price.

Key Topics

Politics, Greensboro Vermont, Jasper Hill Farm, Hill Farmstead, Donald Trump, Tariffs