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
Tennessee corn and soy farmer Josh Ogle joins us to discuss rapid planting progress in the state, improving moisture conditions, and early crop development challenges in the MidSouth region.
Beef is leading the decline as slaughter drops and supplies tighten.
Chad Fiechter joins us to discuss Purdue’s precision ag study, challenges in capturing value from technology, and what farmers should consider when investing in and adopting these tools.
The trip is giving them a firsthand look at farming beyond the U.S.
Ethanol demand held together last week, but lower production and thinner stocks put more focus on export strength. Production capacity is also strengthening over time and benefiting soybean farmers.
Expanded export financing could provide greater support for ag sales abroad if buyers and lenders use the additional tools.