August 21, 2026

201 TRADE CASE UPDATE

On Monday, ASI distributed a Growers and Feeders Injury Questionnaire to our members for U.S. sheep producers to share their information for the 201 Trade Case. 

The objective of the questionnaire is broad distribution and geographic representation to build the strongest case possible to benefit lamb producers.



The information collected in this questionnaire is strictly business confidential. Individual responses, operational metrics, and financial details provided in this survey will be accessed exclusively by the administering economists at Georgetown Economic Services and will only be submitted to the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) under applicable statutory confidentiality protections. 



The deadline to complete the questionnaire is Friday, August 28, 2026. For assistance completing the questionnaire, please review the instructions.

ASI is raising funds through the ASI Guard Dog Fund to support the legal and economic work necessary to pursue the Section 201 case. Producers and industry supporters who want to help strengthen this effort can contribute specifically to the Section 201 Trade Case.

To stay informed of developing information, follow ASI on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) and on our website. 

Screwworm in Sonora: Will First Case Halt Scheduled Aug. 24 Border Reopening?

Just days before the U.S.-Mexico port in Douglas, Ariz., is scheduled to reopen to livestock on Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, the Mexican state of Sonora has confirmed its first case of New World screwworm (NWS).

According to Reuters, “Mexico’s Sonora state has activated emergency surveillance, ‌containment and control protocols following the detection of its first case of screwworm, Governor Alfonso Durazo said on Wednesday [Aug. 19, 2026].”

Sonora is just south of Arizona. The confirmed case was reported in a cow in the southern region of Sonora, about 10 miles from the border with the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Sonora’s Ministry of Agriculture (SAGARHPA) reports 360,000 sterile NWS flies have been released in the area around the state’s first case.

ASI continues to be in regular communications with federal leaders at USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) regarding issues that have arisen since the first detection. 

ASI developed a NWS sheep producer guide and treatment info resource that you may access here. The guide is also available in Spanish.

All of ASI’s resources and links to additional information at USDA and FDA can be found on our website here.

Current Status (as of August 20):

• 2 active cases
• 44 inactive cases
• Most recent detection: August 16, 2026

Find more information at screwworm.gov.

U.S. Postpones 50% Tariffs on Canadian Textiles and Apparel

This week, President Trump said he would pause a 50% tariff on certain goods from Canada for three days while the two countries seek to finalize an agreement. A July 20 proclamation imposing additional duties to offset Canada’s treatment of U.S. motor vehicle exports specifically targeted certain textile/apparel products of Canada.

Separately, the White House released a report on August 13 highlighting the growing concerns about exporters routing goods through third countries to evade U.S. tariffs. For exporters, the key takeaway is that the Administration plans to strengthen enforcement, including the use of AI to identify potential transshipment, with particular attention to supply chains involving China-origin inputs and higher-risk countries

Veteran Ag Leaders Ramp Up Fight for Agriculture

Veteran agriculture leaders concerned about the future of the nation and its food producers have launched Restore American Agriculture, a new effort formed to press Congress and the Administration for a serious response to the farm crisis.

Jon Doggett, former CEO of the National Corn Growers Association, said they are urging members of Congress to listen to the voices of American farmers and ranchers. “What we’ve done is we’ve put together a website for farmers to speak up…we’re trying to make sure that we provide opportunities for the grassroots out in the countryside that are raising the food that we eat an opportunity to speak up,” said Doggett during a Thursday morning call with reporters.

Doggett had teamed up with other like-minded former ag industry leaders earlier this year to send a letter to members of Congress and the administration sounding the alarm about the current state of the farm economy. After getting no response, they sent another letter in July, which also received no response.

Senator Revives Fight Over Putting Interior in Charge 
of Wildfires

A turf war over which federal agency should lead the response to wildfires is brewing again, just as the West faces an especially severe fire season.

In recent days, Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) has revived the discussion about turning over the Forest Service’s wildfire responsibilities to the Interior Department’s U.S. Wildland Fire Service, raising the idea of a 90-day emergency order to temporarily make the move.

Sheehy, founder of the wildfire aviation company Bridger Aerospace, drafted a letter to President Donald Trump asking for an emergency order to put the Interior agency firmly in charge of coordinating wildfire response, according to a Senate office asked to sign it. The letter, on Senate stationery, doesn't have the lawmaker’s name, but Sheehy’s office provided a statement saying he's promoting Trump's proposal to unify fire command at the Interior Department.

MSGA Applauds Proposed Grizzly Bear Rule

The Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) is celebrating a significant step on a path to the delisting of the grizzly bear. In its comments submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MSGA applauded the proposed rule’s recognition of how each state wildlife agency can play an important role in the management of grizzly bears. This new approach creates pathways for greater management flexibility.

The proposed 4(d) rule follows years of advocacy from MSGA who has strongly advocated for the delisting of the grizzly bear from the Endangered Species Act and has asked for the ability for states to manage the species. MSGA has argued that populations in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide ecosystems have biologically recovered and far exceed federal recovery goals set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

South Dakota Governor Activates Livestock Water Supply Program Amid Drought Declaration

Gov. Kelly Armstrong and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring today voted with the State Water Commission to activate a water supply assistance program for livestock producers as the governor declared a drought disaster for extremely dry conditions across North Dakota.

The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday by the National Drought Mitigation Center showed 33.6% of North Dakota in moderate drought, 28.1% in severe drought and 2.3% in extreme drought – the first report this summer to include extreme drought status. The remainder of the state was rated abnormally dry except for part of Dickey County.

“This July ranked as one of the hottest and driest on record in North Dakota, putting enormous strain on livestock producers who are just trying to keep their herds watered and fed and their operations afloat,” Armstrong said.

ASI is working year-round to advance producer priorities across the country. Here’s what’s happening, what it means, and what’s next.

USDA Announced Proposal to Rescind 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule 

On August 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the U.S. Forest Service has filed a proposed rule to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which currently limits road construction and certain management activities in designated inventoried roadless areas of the National Forest System. According to USDA, the proposal is intended to provide greater flexibility for local forest managers to address forest health concerns, wildfire risk, insect infestations, and disease outbreaks on affected lands. USDA noted that more than 44 million acres are currently subject to the rule and stated that future management decisions would continue to be made through existing forest planning processes with input from states, tribes, and local communities. The proposal does not require road construction or timber harvesting but would remove the nationwide roadless designation framework and shift decision-making to the local forest level. USDA is accepting public comments on the proposed rule and accompanying draft environmental impact statement through September 21, 2026. 

For more information, see the official press release here. 

Your weekly snapshot of key market rates and reports (U.S. and global) to help you stay ahead of pricing and demand shifts.

Wool Markets Slip After 3-Week Recess 

While Australian wool markets were back in action this week following a mid-year recess, the EMI saw losses for most microns with finer microns seeing the largest losses. Overall, the EMI lost $0.13 for the week. 



About the EMI: The AWEX Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) is the key benchmark index of Australian wool auction prices and is widely used as a global wool market indicator.

Source: AWEX

LDP Payments Available This Week

Ungraded Wool, Grease Prices in $ Per Pound

Unshorn Pelts, Prices in $ Per Pelt

Note: Producers must visit their Farm Service Agency office and fill out the appropriate paperwork before the wool or unshorn lambs are sold to claim the Wool LDP (when available). 

USDA Weekly Sheep, Lamb, & Wool Market Summary

The report is generally updated on Friday afternoon.

ASI Wool Calculator

Adjust micron, yield and quality of wool percentage with ASI's Wool Calculator to estimate the value of your wool today, or the potential value of wool if genetics or management practices were changed.

Aug 22: 51st Annual Virginia Performance Tested Ram Lamb & Ewe Lamb Sale and Sheep Field Day, VA - More info

Sep 11-13: Hall of Breeds Showcase, Jefferson, WI - More info

Sep 11-13: Pen of 3 Commercial Carcass Evaluation, Jefferson, WI - More info

Sep 11-13: Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival, Jefferson, WI - More info

Sep 12-13: 31th Sheep & Fiber Festival, Ringoes, NJ - More info

Sep 12: Indiana Sheep Association Annual Lambing School, Lafayette, IN - More info

Sep 15: Wyoming State Ram Sale, Douglas, WY - More info

Sep 16: Montana Annual Ewe Sale, Miles City, MT - More info

Sep 17-18: Newell Ram Show and Sale, Newell, SD - More info

Sep 17: Montana Annual Ram Sale, Miles City, MT - More info

ASI operates in accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture civil rights regulations and policies, and complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it under these. ASI is an equal opportunity employer and provider.