August 25th, 2026
Ag Coalition Urges USMCA Exemptions Amid Canada Tariffs
The Agricultural Coalition for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is urging the Trump administration to exempt all USMCA-covered products from new 50 percent tariffs on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. The duties took effect under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as U.S. and Canadian officials continue negotiations aimed at resolving trade disagreements. Coalition spokesperson Bryan Goodman says the group appreciates efforts by both governments to address sector-specific trade issues, but wants negotiations to continue toward a quick resolution. The coalition says USMCA remains an important achievement for American agriculture and should be renewed with targeted improvements. Goodman says strengthening the agreement could protect farmers while preventing similar trade disputes in the future. The coalition has consistently supported maintaining the trilateral agreement, arguing that predictable access to Canadian and Mexican markets remains important to American agriculture. The Ag Coalition for USMCA represents stakeholders across the food and agricultural value chain.
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Diesel Costs Rise Into Harvest, Squeezing Farm Margins
Diesel prices are climbing just as harvest approaches, adding another expense for farmers already dealing with higher fertilizer costs. Mid-August diesel prices are at their highest level in a decade, according to AAA data. Ohio corn and soybean farmer Jed Bower says he expects to spend an additional 20- to 25-thousand dollars on diesel this year compared with January prices. Bower, who serves as president of the National Corn Growers Association, says rising input costs are putting more pressure on already-thin farm margins. Diesel supplies are also tightening. Government data show U.S. distillate inventories are about 13 percent below the five-year average. A University of Missouri agricultural analyst says harvest is the single most fuel-intensive farm operation, running through November for much of the country. The diesel market is being pressured by disruptions tied to conflicts involving Iran and Ukraine.
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Dairy Groups Back U.S. Pressure On Canada
The National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council are backing the Trump administration’s latest pressure on Canada over dairy trade under USMCA. The groups say a 50% tariff on certain Canadian imports that took effect over the weekend should encourage Canada to return to negotiations and address long-running market access concerns. USDEC President Krysta Harden says Canada has had multiple opportunities to resolve what the group calls unfair dairy practices and fulfill its USMCA commitments. NMPF President Gregg Doud says Canada’s continued use of what the group calls loopholes has real consequences for U.S. dairy farmers and exporters. Under USMCA, Canada agreed to provide additional duty-free access for U.S. dairy products through tariff-rate quotas and failed to do so, resulting in chronic underfill. U.S. dairy groups say Canada has repeatedly failed to fill those quotas and has sidestepped trade rules involving dairy protein exports.
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Sorghum Group Questions New CME Futures Contract
The National Sorghum Producers is asking federal regulators to review a new sorghum futures contract before farmers and grain buyers begin relying on it. The CME Group planned to begin trading the contract Monday. The Chicago Board of Trade self-certified the contract earlier this month, meaning it told the Commodity Futures Trading Commission the contract meets federal requirements. NSP’s primary concern is the proposed delivery map, which the group says covers counties representing only about 19 percent of U.S. sorghum acreage. The map excludes major production and marketing areas in western Kansas, Texas, the High Plains, and along the Gulf Coast. NSP Chair Amy France says a properly designed contract could benefit farmers, but the current proposal needs more scrutiny. “Our objection is not to the idea,” France said. “It is to asking farmers to rely on this design before the exchange has shown that it represents our physical market.”
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Fall Soil Testing Can Help Uncover Hidden Soybean Yield Loss
As soybean harvest approaches, farmers have a chance to uncover a hidden yield thief: nematodes lurking beneath the soil. The Soy Checkoff says fall, right after harvest, is an ideal time to collect soil samples and test for soybean cyst nematode and other parasitic nematodes that can reduce yields without obvious above-ground symptoms. The checkoff helped fund new Soybean Nematode Management Guides developed by university plant pathologists and nematologists. The guides cover soybean cyst, root-knot, root lesion, and reniform nematodes, with tools to identify infestations and develop management plans. Soybean cyst nematode is considered the leading soybean pathogen in North America and can cause yield losses of up to 30 percent. “Protecting soybean yield starts with knowing what’s in your fields,” says Michigan farmer United Soybean Board Director Laurie Isley. “This is exactly the kind of practical, science-based tool your checkoff investment is meant to deliver.”
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USDA Opens Applications for Southeast Asia Trade Mission
The USDA is opening applications for an upcoming trade mission to Singapore, aimed at helping American agribusinesses build export opportunities across Southeast Asia. The Foreign Agricultural Service mission is set for December 7 through 9 and will connect U.S. exporters with buyers in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Applications are due September 8. U.S. agricultural exports to the three countries totaled more than three billion dollars in 2025, including one-point-three billion dollars to Thailand, one billion to Malaysia, and 769 million dollars to Singapore. USDA says growth opportunities exist for products including tree nuts, beef, dairy, seafood, processed foods, pulses, and pet food. “Expanding our footprint in Southeast Asia is critical as we work to diversify export opportunities,” says USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg. The mission will include business meetings, market briefings, site visits, and networking events.
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