TUE AM News: Talking Trade with Tom Kallman, Kallman Worldwide, Inc.; Baldwin calls Trump tariffs ‘bad news,’ while GOP House members express support

— In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Kallman Worldwide President and CEO Tom Kallman touts the prestige of U.S. medical products on the global stage. 

The interview was recorded during the recent Arab Health trade show in Dubai, where New Jersey-based Kallman Worldwide has been organizing U.S. participation since 1995. At the time, the show included 27 American businesses — including major players such as Johnson & Johnson and GE HealthCare — and that’s grown to more than 400 in the 2025 conference. 

“American products are very well respected here … When you have all the money in the world, you have a lot of money, as many of the clientele here do, and you’re sick or your family is sick, what do you want? You want the best care possible,” Kallman said. “And for that, the local market turns very often to the United States.” 

The conversation with “Talking Trade’’ co-host Ken Wasylik touches on differences in the way business is done in the Middle East, emphasizing the role of building relationships over time. Kallman notes the government of the United Arab Emirates “wants to make sure that you’re well-vetted and serious about being here” and stresses the importance of export readiness. 

“It is not cheap to be here, there’s no question about that, but frankly that’s one of the things that separates the wheat from the chaff, those companies that are committed to an international program,” he said. 

He also references common cultural touchpoints for American companies seeking to do business in the region, noting many business leaders in the Middle East have received higher education from U.S. institutions. 

Still, because the Arab Health conference draws attendees from countries across Asia, Africa and elsewhere, Kallman notes different approaches may be required for reaching these varying markets. 

“When you come here to Arab Health, you’ll have a meeting with someone from Kuwait, okay, consider that, then India, then Pakistan, then Saudi Arabia. And each one has its own unique approaches, and perhaps requirement for representation within that country,” he said. 

The podcast is hosted by Wasylik, head of E.M Wasylik Associates, and M.E. Dey & Co. President and Managing Director Sandi Siegel. 

Watch the full episode here

“Talking Trade” is now available in audio form on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. Subscribe and find more episodes here

— U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin says President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China are “bad news” for consumers, manufacturers and farmers, arguing “everyone is going to pay more.” 

The Madison Dem made the comments yesterday after visiting the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy to discuss the Wisconsin Opioid Overdose Response Center and criticize Trump’s federal funding freeze. She secured $2 billion for the center, which seeks to combat the opioid crisis in Wisconsin, focusing on fentanyl in particular. 

Baldwin said she doesn’t oppose tariffs, but believes they should be targeted and tailored to specific policy goals. Trump plans to implement a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% on imports from China. Baldwin said the tariffs will likely end up hurting Wisconsin farmers. 

The tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports were delayed for a month after Trump reached agreements with their governments yesterday. The tariffs on Chinese imports are set to take effect today. 

“I remember the last round of Trump tariffs and the billions of dollars in lost exports our agricultural community experienced because of it,” Baldwin said. “And especially in Wisconsin, where our leading agricultural industry is dairy, our dairy farmers have struggled so much, they’ve faced so many headwinds over so many years. Having what will likely be retaliatory tariffs facing them will mean lost export markets, and it will mean greater costs in terms of their inputs.” 

Baldwin noted she hadn’t reviewed Trump’s agreement with Mexico to delay tariffs on Mexican imports, which was announced during her visit.

U.S. Rep. Tony Wied, R-De Pere, voiced his support for Trump’s tariffs. Wied said he trusts Trump’s negotiating tactics and believes the move will “ultimately save lives and strengthen our economy.” 

“We made a promise to secure our borders, and that includes stopping the deadly fentanyl smuggled in by cartels, which is killing Americans at an unconscionable rate,” Wied said. “If Canada and Mexico don’t want these tariffs, they will work with us to put an end to this crisis.”  

Wied said “trade should serve the interests of the United States first and foremost.” 

See more at WisPolitics.

— Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl continue to drive drug overdose rates in Wisconsin, even as the state is seeing more overdoses involving multiple substances. 

That’s according to a recent state Department of Administration report to the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, detailing the current state of opioid and methamphetamine use in Wisconsin. 

While the number of drug overdose deaths in the state declined slightly from 1,830 in 2022 to 1,800 in 2023, 80% of the deaths in 2023 involved opioids. That includes heroin, the prescription drug oxycodone and fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that’s used in the medical field to treat severe pain. 

The report notes more than 90% of the opioid overdose deaths in Wisconsin in 2023 involved synthetic opioids, underlining the role that fentanyl is playing in the ongoing opioid epidemic. It also highlights a rise in overdose deaths linked to multiple substances, usually a mix of opioids and stimulants such as cocaine or meth. 

“This is notable because while opioid overdoses are significantly more common than stimulant overdoses, rates of overdose involving both substances continue to grow faster than those involving either drug alone,” authors wrote. 

The overall number of opioid overdose deaths was slightly lower in 2023 at 1,413, compared to 1,464 in 2022, more than half included cocaine or a “psychostimulant.” While this second category — which includes meth — is more common in the state’s northern and western regions, cocaine is far more likely to be used alongside opioids in southeastern Wisconsin. 

DOA also notes the opioid epidemic is hitting some demographics harder than others, as Black and American Indian residents of the state have higher rates of fatal opioid overdoses. 

In 2023, the rate of fatal overdoses per 100,000 population was 119.6 for Black men and 39.2 for Black women, 87.2 for American Indian men and 62.8 for American Indian women. That number was 27.3 for white men and 12.7 for white women, the report shows. 

For Pacific Islanders, the rate was 51.4 for men and 57.4 for women — the only group for which the fatal overdose rate among women was higher than for men. Asian Wisconsinites had the lowest rates, with 7.3 for men and 3 for women. 

See the report

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— Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport had more than 6.3 million passengers in 2024, the highest annual total since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The airport yesterday released passenger traffic figures for last year, marking a 5% increase over the total from 2023. The increase comes after passenger totals plummeted to 2.6 million in 2020 as the pandemic took hold after previously reaching nearly 6.9 million in 2019. 

Still, the airport has seen rapidly increasing traffic every year since then, as total passengers hit 4.5 million in 2021, 5.5 million in 2022 and just over 6 million in 2023. 

Airport Director Brian Dranzik notes “more travelers coming through our doors lets airlines know” about demand for flights in and out of the region. 

“We hope to keep this trend going in 2025 with multiple projects underway to further elevate our customer experience,” Dranzik said in a statement. 

Yesterday’s announcement also notes Southwest Airlines is adding new nonstop flights to Austin starting in early March, adding a new destination that’s not currently offered by any airline in Milwaukee. Meanwhile, Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines are offering more “low-cost” options for traveling to parts of Florida for the 2025 spring break season. 

See the release and more airport travel figures

TOP STORIES
Data center could come to Beaver Dam as similar projects spark concerns about energy demand 

Betting is up in Wisconsin, but funding for gambling addiction is flat 

What would get more expensive in Wisconsin under the proposed Trump tariffs? 

TOPICS

ADVERTISING 

– This Wisconsin company is airing its first Super Bowl ad. It’s giving away $1.2 million to viewers, too 

AGRIBUSINESS 

– Wisconsin Farm Bureau hosts Ag Day at the Capitol 

– Is it safe to eat eggs as bird flu spreads in Wisconsin? Here are some food safety tips 

ECONOMY 

– What are Wisconsin’s top imports from China, Canada and Mexico? 

FOOD & BEVERAGE

– Bartolotta’s Bacchus adds bar menu, brings back a la carte choices 

HEALTH CARE 

– Wisconsin residents organize in fight to keep county nursing homes public 

– Her doctor’s office said they would charge her insurance $700 for an MRI. The bill was double. 

MANUFACTURING 

– A. O. Smith ‘rightsizes’ China business, trims a North American unit 

– Midwest Stairs & Iron acquired by R&B Wagner 

POLITICS 

– Evers vows to veto GOP legislation cutting funds to counties that don’t help ICE operations 

REAL ESTATE 

– Local investors acquire 56-acre former Rexnord campus in West Milwaukee 

– How many Green Bay area homes sold for more than $1 million in 2024? 

SPORTS 

– Milwaukee Bucks ownership did not submit a bid for a WNBA team after expressing interest 

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