The clock is ticking in the United States-Canada trade fight.
At midnight ET Tuesday, Sept. 29, sweeping U.S. import bans on a range of Canadian products, including alcoholic beverages, dairy ingredients and some motorcycles, are set to take effect unless the neighboring countries can reach a last-minute breakthrough emerges in an increasingly bitter dispute.
The restrictions stem from a series of proclamations President Donald Trump signed Sept. 8, accusing Canada of unfairly discriminating against U.S. commerce. The bans target dozens of products and mark the latest escalation in a trade standoff that has already rattled businesses on both sides of the border.
With only hours remaining before the restrictions take effect, Trump signaled Monday,
Sept. 28, that he has no plans to back down, while suggesting Canada remains eager to strike a deal.
"They call us all the time. The problem is they've treated the U.S. very unfairly," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
What products are affected?
The White House has released separate lists covering alcohol, dairy-related products and motorcycles. Unless there is a last-minute change, those restrictions are scheduled to take effect at midnight ET on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Alcohol products
Canadian alcohol is among the most visible targets of Trump's new import restrictions.
According to White House documents, the ban covers dozens of Canadian-made products, including whiskey, wine, beer, vermouth, tequila, vodka and rum.
Not every Canadian spirit will disappear from U.S. shelves, however.
One major exception appears to be Crown Royal. The popular Canadian whiskey brand can avoid the ban because of a provision that allows Canadian whiskey to enter the United States in containers larger than 1 gallon. While Crown Royal is distilled and aged in Manitoba, it is shipped in bulk to bottling facilities in the United States before reaching consumers, a process that allows it to sidestep the restrictions.
Dairy products
Dairy has long been one of the biggest flashpoints in trade negotiations between the United States and Canada, making its inclusion on the ban list unsurprising.
The White House says the restrictions cover products including whey and whey protein, ingredients commonly found in protein powders, nutritional supplements and a wide range of processed foods.
Whey is the liquid byproduct left behind during the production of cheese and yogurt. While it may not be familiar to many consumers, it plays a significant role in food manufacturing and the sports nutrition industry.
The Dairy Farmers of Canada criticized the move, calling the restrictions "deeply concerning" in comments reported by Global News, though the group did not estimate how much trade could be affected.
Motorcycles
The new restrictions extend beyond food and beverages.
Trump's Sept. 8 order also targets Canadian-made motorcycles, including certain mopeds and larger bikes.
According to White House documents, the ban covers motorcycles and cycles equipped with internal-combustion engines with cylinder capacities greater than 800 cubic centimeters.
The move marks another escalation in a trade dispute that has expanded well beyond tariffs and now touches industries ranging from agriculture and alcohol production to manufacturing and transportation.
USA TODAY's Rachel Barber contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatoday.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's Canada import ban kicks off Sept. 29 at midnight
