Not Wait Till 2026: Is the USMCA review process going to be tweaked or renegotiated?

The American Farm Bureau Convention is underway in San Antonio, Texas! Farmers and ranchers gather as the USCMA trade deal review process for next year takes center stage.

According to AFBF’s Dave Salmonsen, “There is a built-in review process to make sure that the agreement is living up to what the three countries want it to. So, the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, each country will start thinking about it this year, defining their goals, and really deciding is this merely a review, look at some tweaks, how is it working, or is this going to be a real negotiation? Are there real big substantive issues that need to be changed and renegotiated?”

However, despite the process in place, Salmonsen warns there are several outside factors that could influence it.

“President Trump has issued an executive order called the America First Trade Policy, and it’s really a direction for all federal agencies to look at a variety of trade issues, but specifically on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement. So there certainly is an opportunity and a potential that all this discussion about USMCA may not wait till 2026,” he adds.

Related Stories
Shawn Haney, Host of RealAg Radio on Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147, joined us on Tuesday’s Market Day Report with the latest news from Canada impacting the ag sector.
Dr. Deb Vnoverbeke, UNL’s Head of Animal Science, joins us with more about the university’s experiential learning programs designed to prepare veterinary students for the future of agriculture.
New SDRP funding and expanded loss programs give producers additional tools to rebuild cash flow and stabilize operations after two years of severe weather losses.
The new WOTUS proposal narrows federal jurisdiction, restores key agricultural exclusions, and gives farmers clearer permitting rules after years of regulatory uncertainty.
Here is a regional snapshot of harvest pace, crop conditions, logistics, and livestock economics across U.S. agriculture for the week of Monday, November 17, 2025.
UMN Extension’s Emily Krekelberg outlines today’s top farm stressors, key signs of mental health distress in rural communities, and the resources available for support.