Hello and welcome to Business Daily from the BBC.

This is Fergus Nicol in Duluth, Minnesota, where we're exploring some of the local and regional issues that resonate with the national conversation.

We'll meet a welder who likes what President Trump is doing with tariffs.

With the tariffs that are in place right now is really helping the U.S. Steel, they are doing well,

we're doing well. It's a trickle-down effect, as everybody knows.

And we'll meet a farmer who fears that industrial development could compromise the environment.

I feel like Matt and I have been more politically involved in the last few years, especially since the 2016 election.

We're concerned about the environment. I want northern Minnesota to remain a beautiful place.

That's all on Business Daily on the BBC.

If you look at the map of North America, you'll see that Duluth lies on Lake Superior.

So while the city is a road, rail and water hub in itself, it's also part of a far bigger network,

with Canada over the water to the north and access through that network of lakes and canals

from the St. Louis River and the Iron Range to the ocean.

That's the sound of a Canadian cargo vessel, the Michipikoten, arriving at the aerial lift bridge here at Duluth port.

It's a traditional call and response, and there is the response from the bridge authorities,

because they're telling the ship that the road section of the bridge is now elevated,

allowing the vessel to pass underneath.

The Michipakuten is coming in to collect iron ore pellets,

a product of a booming industry in this part of the state,

and we'll hear more about that in a moment.

But first, let's get a sense of the significance of this court from Deborah DeLuca,

executive director at the Duluth Seaway Port Authority.

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