Robert McKellar
Friday’s Tree Frog interview with political risk expert Robert McKellar drew exceptional interest—and for good reason. Given reader response and the ongoing fallout from Trump’s trade policies, we’re featuring it again for those who missed it. McKellar, who divides his time between Turkey and Canada, brings an international perspective to his analysis of Trump’s second-term trade environment and its implications for Canada’s forest sector. His message is clear: US protectionism is not a passing phase. The current tariff and duty structure reflects a broader nationalist realignment that will persist well beyond the Trump presidency. He notes it is unlikely that the upcoming USMCA review will restore pre-Trump-2 market access, and that while Washington is betting tariffs will attract new foreign investment, the result has instead been greater political risk.
McKellar also examines the recent US–China flare-up, concluding it is unlikely to reignite a full-scale trade war. Within the US, he observes that political momentum currently favours the US Lumber Coalition over homebuilders, but that balance could shift if housing affordability again becomes a political flashpoint. Should the housing crisis deepen, Trump has shown he’s willing to adjust course when broader political pressures outweigh protectionist instincts. For Canadian producers, diversification and value-added strategies remain essential—but slow to materialize. That reality underpins McKellar’s central question: “If that’s true—then what?” His answer calls for a fundamental shift in mindset—challenging the sector to rethink its future and chart a course less dependent on the US market. He concludes that companies should view political-risk awareness as a practical framework—linking foresight, market intelligence, and decision-making into a continuous process of adaptation. The tools already exist within most organizations, he says; the opportunity lies in using them more deliberately as part of everyday business planning.
A U.S.-Canada trade deal on steel, aluminium and energy could be ready for Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump to sign at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit later this month in South Korea, the 
BURNABY, BC — Interfor announced today revised operating plans for the fourth quarter of 2025. Due to persistently weak market conditions and ongoing economic uncertainty, Interfor will further temporarily reduce lumber production across its operations in British Columbia, Ontario, the US Pacific Northwest and the US South. These curtailments are expected to reduce lumber production in the fourth quarter of 2025 by approximately 250 million board feet, or 26%, as compared to the second quarter of 2025, which reflected a more normal operating stance. The curtailment volumes are approximately evenly split between Interfor’s Canadian and U.S. operations. …These curtailments are an amendment to Interfor’s previously announced curtailments on September 4, 2025. “Lumber prices in all regions of North America have continued to weaken, from already unsustainably low levels,” said Ian Fillinger, Interfor’s CEO. …While necessary, we fully recognize the impact these actions will have on our employees, contractors, suppliers and communities.”
NEW YORK — Cabinet dealers, interior designers and remodeling contractors in the U.S. hope new tariffs on imported kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities and upholstered wooden furniture will boost domestic production of those products. But several small business owners in the home improvement industry say they expect some short-term pains from the import taxes. Potential customers may postpone kitchen and bathroom renovations until costs — and the economy — seem more stable. …The American Kitchen Cabinet Alliance lobbied for tariffs to help offset what they described as a flood of cheap cabinets from countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, China and elsewhere in the decades since manufacturing moved offshore. …Although the White House said the tariffs were intended to boost domestic production and protect U.S. businesses from predatory trade practices, some cabinet makers say that will be difficult because their supply chains are multinational.
Lumber futures fell below $610 per thousand board feet, their lowest level since October 8 and down 12% from a three-year high in early August, as a slowing US housing market outweighed potential supply curbs from tariffs. August building permits dropped to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 1.33 million, the lowest since May 2020, while housing starts fell 8.5%, marking the fourth-lowest reading in over five years. Earlier this month, the US imposed a 10% tariff on Canadian lumber, with the Trump administration stating it aims to expand domestic timber harvesting and reduce reliance on foreign lumber. Looking ahead, expected Federal Reserve rate cuts could stimulate construction and home buying and encourage homeowners to borrow for repairs and renovations, the largest driver of lumber demand. However, signs of a slowing labor market and rising inflation suggest demand may remain subdued.
Section 232 tariffs were once seen as a fortress for US metals. Yet, that fortress now casts a much longer shadow. Companies far removed from the steel and aluminum sector could soon find themselves ensnared in tariffs they never imagined, thanks to the inclusion process for “derivative” products. The Trump Administration has steadily expanded Section 232 authority well beyond their original steel and aluminum targets, to copper, automobiles, trucks, lumber, and even wooden cabinets. These tariffs, which range from 10% (for lumber) to 50% (for steel and aluminum), are layered on top of normal import duties. At first glance, these measures appeared to strike only those industries handling raw materials. But in 2025 the Administration sought to close what it saw as a loophole: downstream products containing tariffed metals that could enter duty-free. As a result, section 232 tariffs were imposed on the raw material and a finite list of derivative products.
Ikea is increasing the amount of products it makes in the US as the world’s largest home furnishings retailer comes under pressure from US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on furniture and kitchen cabinets. The flat-pack retailer, which made revenues of $5.5bn in the US last year, currently produces only about 15% of products that it sells in the US domestically. That compares with 75% local production in Europe and 80% in Asia. “We want to continue to expand in the US and Canada — how do we optimise a good supply set-up where we secure the right access to materials, to components, to production? That’s very long-term work that we’re doing,” Jon Abrahamsson Ring, chief executive of Inter Ikea. Trump imposed tariffs of between 10% and 50% on imports of foreign furniture and wood products. Ikea, which is responsible for about 1% of total industrial production, is set to take a significant hit. 
With new tariffs taking effect on furniture and lumber, an analysis released by Goldman Sachs finds American consumers are paying for more than half of the cost of the levies imposed by President Donald Trump. In a research note to its clients, the global investment and banking giant said U.S. consumers will absorb 55% of tariff costs by the end of this year. American businesses would pay 22% of the costs, foreign exporters would absorb 18% and 5% would be evaded, according to the Goldman Sachs analysis. Consumers could end up paying 70% of the cost by the end of next year, the report said. “At the moment, however, US businesses are likely bearing a larger share of the costs because some tariffs have just gone into effect and it takes time to raise prices on consumers and negotiate lower import prices with foreign suppliers,” the analysis adds. 
Mass timber is gaining momentum as a structural material that, along with many other attributes, can reduce the embodied carbon in new buildings and retrofits. Despite this potential, and widespread enthusiasm in the design community, the uptake of mass timber has been relatively slow. Architecture 2030 and Pilot Projects Collaborative’s new report, 
As National Forest Products Week is observed each October, the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities is highlighting one of its partner programs that supports and advances US-based manufacturing. The Endowment is administering $5 million of the USDA Forest Service’s $80 million Wood Innovation Grants program, overseeing 18 individual projects across the country. Each project includes matching funds from subaward recipients, resulting in a total impact of approximately $10 million. Together, these investments will advance wood product manufacturing, strengthen forest management and foster energy innovation for timber-producing communities. …“Our forests are only as strong as the markets that sustain them. Through programs like the Wood Innovation Grants, we’re creating new opportunities for innovation while reinforcing the resilience of both ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. Strengthening U.S. wood products manufacturing is necessary to achieve these goals.”
HELENA, Mont. — The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) has launched an online interactive map showing forest product manufacturers across the state. The new tool helps landowners, contractors, and community members locate nearby mills and connect with partners for forest management and wood processing projects. Each facility listing includes details such as product types, wood species used, and company size, with direct links to their websites. “Beyond helping Montanans find nearby mills, the map highlights manufacturing capacity that supports forest restoration, fuels reduction, and local jobs,” said Marc Vessar, DNRC forest practices program manager.
As the European Commission prepares a further postponement of its Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR), proposals to simplify the law are abundant in Brussels. The undersigned organizations, representing the U.S. forestry and forest products sector value chain, urge the Commission to avoid a rushed process and take the time necessary to pursue simplification with great care. An additional year provides a valuable opportunity for the Commission to engage in productive dialogue with forest owners and operators in highly forested, low-risk countries like the U.S. to understand implementation challenges and reduce unintended consequences. “Simplifying a law as significant as the EUDR requires thoughtful and purposeful review,” said Eric Gee, executive director of the Southern Forest Products Association (SFPA). “A measured approach will help ensure that any changes both strengthen the law’s effectiveness and uphold fairness for producers in low-risk, sustainably managed regions like the Southeastern United States.”
As the planet heats up, we need to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. …‘nature-based climate solutions’ are human interventions that utilize natural processes to draw down carbon from the atmosphere. According to William Anderegg, director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy at the University of Utah, planting forests is an especially promising option. “The central opportunity here is that we can leverage nature,” Anderegg says, “and forests globally have pretty large potential to help with climate change mitigation.” [However], Anderegg says …there are many problems with the programs that seek to plant forests as a climate solution. 
BILLINGS, Montana — A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit from young climate activists seeking to block President Donald Trump’s executive orders promoting fossil fuels and discouraging renewable energy. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen said the plaintiffs showed overwhelming evidence climate change affects them and that it will worsen as a result of Trump’s orders. But Christensen concluded their request for the courts to intervene was “unworkable” because it was beyond the power of the judiciary to create environmental policies. The 22 plaintiffs included youths who prevailed in a landmark climate trial against the state of Montana in 2023. …Legal experts said the young activists and their lawyers from the environmental group Our Children’s Trust faced long odds in the federal case. …The climate activists will appeal Wednesday’s ruling, said Julia Olson, chief legal counsel at Our Children’s Trust.
GLOSTER, Miss. — A group of Gloster residents has filed a federal lawsuit against Drax Biomass and its subsidiaries, alleging that the company’s Amite BioEnergy wood pellet facility in the town has unlawfully released massive amounts of toxic pollutants into their community, violating the federal Clean Air Act and Mississippi law. According to a statement from the law firm that filed the claim, Singleton Schreiber, the lawsuit seeks “injunctive relief, civil penalties, and damages for the harm plaintiffs have suffered, including diminished property values, and the loss of safe use and enjoyment of their homes.” Drax responded to inquiries with the following statement: “We are aware of the lawsuit filed in Mississippi. While we cannot comment on the details of ongoing legal matters, our commitment to the communities where we operate remains unchanged. We strive to be a good neighbor in our communities and to support their wellbeing and prosperity.”