A US trade panel reviewing Australian lamb imports into the United States has been unable to agree on whether the American industry has been hurt by the imports.
The rare tie-vote at the US International Trade Commission (USITC) means US President Donald Trump will ultimately decide whether to place tariffs or other trade restrictions on the Australian meat.
"A tie vote … means the president can decide which vote (affirmative or negative) he chooses the 'winning' vote," Georgetown University's Jennifer Hillman, a former USITC commissioner, told the ABC.
"[I] would presume, particularly in light of the plight of farmers in the US generally, that he would be inclined to treat this as an affirmative determination and impose tariffs or tariff rate quotas."
The next step in the process is a public "remedies" hearing to debate those measures before commissioners make final recommendations to the White House.
The hearing will take place on December 1. Commissioners are due to make their recommendations to Mr Trump by January 11.
Australia has been warning the US that any new tariff would just push up prices for American lamb-eaters.
Most of the lamb imported into the US comes from Australia and New Zealand.
More than 100,000 tonnes of Australian lamb was exported to the US last year.
