President Donald Trump has an important decision over the next few months as he decides the fate of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, one that will significantly impact the agricultural economy and the financial wellbeing of rural America even beyond our lifetimes.
Why does this decision matter to you? Rural America is where the crops and animals are grown that feed, fuel and clothe us.
As the leaders of two of the nation’s largest agricultural groups, representing a combined nearly 100,000 farmers, we have seen firsthand how USMCA has benefitted rural America, and we implore President Trump to keep agriculture top of mind throughout the mandatory USMCA review this summer.
A recent economic study of 2024 exports showed agricultural and seafood exports under USMCA contributed $149 billion in total economic output to the U.S. economy, supporting nearly half a million American jobs and $36 billion in wages. The study also showed that USMCA-related agricultural and seafood trade contributed $64 billion to U.S. GDP and supported $13 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue. That’s all in one year!
Put simply, for every $1 of agriculture and seafood exported by the U.S. under the agreement, there was $2.45 of associated economic activity – right here in the U.S.
Thanks to USMCA, American agriculture has been revitalized by significant increases in exports to Canada and Mexico, providing more certainty between the three nations and creating a mechanism for resolving trade disputes.
A testament to the importance of this enforcement mechanism, a 2024 trade dispute was resolved after Mexico enacted a ban on genetically modified corn. Since most corn grown in the United States is genetically modified and Mexico is corn’s largest export destination, Mexico’s actions created great concern among America’s corn growers. But U.S. officials filed a dispute under USMCA, and a panel of experts assembled under the agreement ruled in our favor. As a result, Mexico dropped its ban on genetically modified corn used for animal consumption.
That case also illustrates the beauty of the trilateral aspect of the agreement, as Canada joined the United States in the dispute, bolstering our case and increasing the odds we would prevail.
USMCA also provides market-based rules and streamlined regulatory processes.
For the U.S. pork sector, USMCA has been key to ensuring long-term success. In 2025, the United States exported over $2.9 billion of pork to Mexico and over $760 million to Canada, making them the No. 1 and No. 4 export markets, respectively. The USMCA maintains crucial zero-tariff access for U.S. pork to Mexico and Canada and includes robust regulatory commitments that provide a science-based framework and a strong enforcement mechanism to challenge non-tariff trade barriers.
For the corn industry, USMCA represents our No. 1 corn ethanol export market an. In 2025, American corn growers exported $5.9 billion in bulk corn to Mexico and $1.9 billion in ethanol to Canada, totaling about 40% of each commodity’s total exports.
USMCA has served as a huge economic engine that has bolstered the agricultural economy and rural America in once unthinkable ways. Its benefits are felt from the farm gate to the dinner plate. That's why our associations have joined over 40 agricultural and food groups to launch a coalition to advocate for renewal of the accord.
The agreement builds on the success started by President Trump and must be renewed to sustain farm families now and for generations to come.
Caskey is the chief executive officer at the National Corn Growers Association, and Humphreys is the chief executive officer at the National Pork Producers Council.
