US-Canada Trade War Hits Home for Montana Farmers

A trade war between the US and Canada is causing headaches for Montana farmers who rely on their neighbor for equipment and supplies. The tariffs imposed by Ottawa on $20 billion worth of US goods, including farm equipment, have increased costs for farmers like Steve Sheffels.

Sheffels, a local wheat farmer, says he's considering buying new equipment but is hesitant due to the 15% or higher retaliatory tariff. He had previously relied on Canadian companies for select equipment and supplies due to favorable exchange rates.

Montana farmers have endured flat commodity prices since the 1970s, rising interest rates, and two Trump administrations' trade wars, which have threatened longtime business deals. The uncertainty surrounding the tariffs is what bothers fourth-generation wheat farmer Lee Dahlman.

Dahlman has been adapting to the situation by investing in soil-based probiotics to reduce fertilizer use and rotating in chickpeas and lentils, crops that naturally inject nitrates into the soils. He hopes the tariff battle will end in a stable deal.