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
The Ranger Road Fire in the Oklahoma Panhandle is now 65% contained after burning nearly 300,000 acres over the past week. Kevin Charleston of Specialty Risk Insurance Agency discusses wildfire recovery, livestock insurance considerations, and the importance of preparedness for producers across the Southern Plains.
Ag leaders say President Donald Trump’s State of the Union is unlikely to spark major agriculture headlines, but ongoing tariff uncertainty and trade policy remain key concerns, as does the debate around glyphosate and the status of the next Farm Bill.
Cotton jassid, a invasive pest, is raising concerns for Southeast cotton growers as experts work to understand its impact this season.
Border closures tied to the threat of New World Screwworm continue to stall Mexican fed cattle imports, tightening U.S. feeder cattle supplies over time — triggering feedlot closures that hinder herd rebuilding efforts, threaten the beef supply chain, and shrink production while consumer prices stay elevated.
Brooks York of AgriSompo discusses projected prices and how farmers are adapting their crop insurance strategies as the price discovery period comes to a close.