August 20, 2026 

Canada Avoids 50 Percent Tariff In Last-Minute Deal

Canada has temporarily avoided a 50 percent U.S. tariff after reaching a last-minute agreement with the Trump administration, just hours before the higher duties were scheduled to take effect. President Donald Trump said Tuesday night that he was pausing the tariffs for three days while the two countries finalize the agreement. The tariffs would have affected about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, including wine and hockey sticks. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said substantial progress had been made toward a trade deal, but added that more work remains. Trump also suggested the long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline could potentially be revived, although he provided few details and did not say whether it was part of the tariff agreement. The reprieve comes after months of strained U.S.-Canada trade relations and could give businesses, including farmers and ranchers on both sides of the border, more certainty. 

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Ethanol Production Slips, But Remains Above Average

U.S. ethanol production fell to a five-week low last week, while output remained above year-ago and five-year average levels. The Renewable Fuels Association, analyzing Energy Information Administration data, says production for the week ending August 14 dropped 2.5 percent to 1.09 million barrels per day, or 45.74 million gallons daily. That was 1.6 percent above the same week last year and six percent above the five-year average. Ethanol inventories increased 1.3 percent to 25.1 million barrels, reaching their highest level since early May. Stocks were more than ten percent above both year-ago and five-year average levels. Gasoline supplied to the U.S. market fell 3.1 percent to an 11-week low of 8.69 million barrels per day, suggesting weaker demand. Meanwhile, refiner and blender ethanol inputs rose 1.2 percent to 926,000 barrels per day. Ethanol exports jumped 18.3 percent to 129,000 barrels per day.

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Moroccan Fertilizer Supplier Returns To U.S. Market

Morocco’s state-owned OCP has returned to the U.S. phosphate fertilizer market after the Trump administration suspended countervailing duties on the company earlier this summer. OCP told POLITICO that its first shipment since the duties were lifted has arrived in New Orleans, bringing 54,000 metric tons of phosphate fertilizer into the United States. The administration suspended duties of more than 16 percent in June, citing concerns that tight fertilizer supplies could threaten U.S. agricultural production and food security. Phosphate fertilizer prices have been rising since February and are now higher than at any point in the past two years, according to USDA data. Supply disruptions in the Middle East, particularly involving sulfur and other key fertilizer inputs, have contributed to the increases. OCP North America says temporary tariff relief is helpful, but greater long-term certainty would encourage investment and help ensure adequate fertilizer supplies for American farmers.

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USDA Proposes Ending National Roadless Forest Restrictions

The U.S. Forest Service is proposing to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which restricts road construction and certain forest management activities across more than 44 million acres of national forests. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says the decades-old restrictions have limited efforts to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risks. Rollins says overgrown forests, insect outbreaks, and diseases have created conditions that can turn healthy landscapes into wildfire hazards. She says the proposal would give local forest managers more authority to address conditions based on the needs of individual forests. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen (Steven) Vaden called the proposal commonsense policy and said better forest management begins with having access to the land. The Roadless Rule has been in place for 25 years and applies across the country, regardless of local management needs. The Forest Service will accept public comments on the proposed rule and a draft environmental impact statement published in the Federal Register.

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Sheep Industry Pushes Ahead With Lamb Import Investigation

The American Sheep Industry Association is leading an investigation into whether increased lamb imports are causing serious injury to U.S. sheep producers. ASI asked the U.S. Trade Representative to investigate in October 2025, and USTR recommended an International Trade Commission investigation in July. The ITC is now collecting testimony and data and will hold a public hearing before determining whether imports are a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry. ASI says the ITC is surveying U.S. packers and importers, but not sheep producers or feeders. The association has developed its own injury questionnaire for growers and feeders, with more information expected soon. ASI says its members and state associations are already represented in the case and do not need to join another organization. The association is also raising money through its Guard Dog Fund to support the legal and economic work involved in the Section 201 trade case.

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Husker Harvest Days Adds New Ag Tech Pavilion

Husker Harvest Days will debut a new Ag Tech Pavilion September 15 through 17 in Grand Island, Nebraska, giving farmers a closer look at emerging technologies and the companies developing them. The pavilion is presented by Farm Progress in partnership with The Combine and the University of Nebraska. Farmers can explore technology involving precision agriculture, automation and robotics, artificial intelligence, data management, connectivity, equipment, and other innovations. The pavilion will also feature daily 30-minute panel discussions and expert presentations focused on putting technology to work on the farm. Topics include autonomous equipment, practical artificial intelligence applications, irrigation efficiency, robotics and return on investment, and drone technology for crop scouting and livestock management. Farm Progress senior national events director Matt Jungmann says the partnership will give producers direct access to innovations that can make a difference on their operations.

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